Society will have to promote anti-addiction culture :Altaf Qamar

Lahore: Project Director Drug Free City Lahore Muhammad Altaf Qamar has said that law-enforcement agencies are dealing with narcotics peddlers sternly, but the whole society will have to promote anti-addiction culture to accomplish the noble cause of setting up a drug-free city.

Giving a briefing on the progress on the Drug Free City Lahore, during a meeting with workers of a welfare organization ‘Akhuwat’, Muhammad Altaf Qamar said that social attitude of hatred against criminals instead of crime dominates the society and this behavior should be changed. He said that drug addicts are not criminals but patients, and instead of ignoring them, people should help them get rid of this bad habit because it is the collective responsibility of the whole society.

Executive Director Akhuwat Dr. Muhammad Amjad Saqib stressed the need for setting up special rehabilitation centers for drug addicts and said that his organization will provide every possible support to establish a state-of-the-art rehabilitation center for drug addicts in Lahore where besides detoxification arrangements will also be made for social rehabilitation of the deserving drug addicts. He also appreciated the efforts of youth and welfare organizations in promoting awareness regarding the importance of setting up a drug-free city. It was further informed that as many as 131 programmes including seminars, lectures, speech contests, walks, rallies, talk-shows and stage plays have been organized in Lahore by the Drug Free City Lahore Project. It was further told that during 364 raids of the Anti-Narcotics Force, 395 drug peddlers were arrested and 38 kg of heroin, 87.5 kg of Charas, half kilogram of opium and 6394 bottles of liquor were seized from them during one month.