Government is trying to minimize drug use: Khalid Masood Ch.

Lahore: Secretary Excise and Taxation Khalid Masood Ch. has said that the government is utilizing all available resources for strict implementation of anti-narcotics laws besides building public opinion against this menace, however, it is the collective responsibility of the civil society to curb this menace. He said rehabilitation centers for the addicts especially for women & children are being set up in the city to make Lahore drug free city. He said that a drug free city project has been launched with a cost of Rs. 38.228 million and under the project public awareness/ prevention, development of intelligence, treatment of drug addicts, rehabilitation of drug addicts and registration of addicts treatment clinics are the action plan of the project.

He expressed these views while presiding over the meeting of drug free city Lahore project. The meeting was attended by project director, officers of social welfare, health, information and excise and taxation departments besides others.

Khalid Masood Ch. stressed the need for launching massiveawareness campaign for sensitizing the people specially the women folk about hazardous aspects of smoking as the smokers usually becomes the victims of narcotics. He said that use of narcotics is also a social and moral problem. He said in order to set up a drug-free society, it is the collective responsibility of parents, teachers, ulema, social welfare organizations besides government to create awareness among the peoples against the use of narcotics. He said that we have to createawareness in the peoples against the use of narcotics within their sphere of influence. He said that it is paramount obligation of parents and teachers to keep a vigilance eye on the habits and circles of friends to save the new generation from this scourge. He said that drug-traffickers deserve no leniency as they are not only the criminal of law but also that of humanity bent upon distraction of society for their personal ends. It is the collective responsibility of the whole society to control the use of narcotics so that the future of new generation could be saved, he concluded.