Many schools turning into drug dens

MORE THAN 6,000 CASES OF DRUG USE REPORTED THIS YEAR IN ISLAMABAD

Schools, colleges and universities in the federal capital are fast turning into drug peddlers’ favourite haunts, as they find a large number of customers here.

Even well-known private schools are not out of the drug dealers’ range, as they offer easy access to boys and girls of elite families.

According to the Islamabad police, in 2018 alone, more than 6,000 cases of drugs use in schools, colleges and universities were reported. More than 70 drug peddlers were arrested.

Drug addiction is becoming a serious issue for the administration of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), as well as the newly elected government of the ruling Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf. According to a report presented before the Senate’s Standing Committee in September this year, 53 per cent of private school students are addicted to drugs.

The report, by the non-governmental organisation South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (Sassi), stated that 44 to 53 per cent students of private schools in the federal capital were addicted to various kinds of drugs. The addicts are either provided intoxicants by their peers or teachers, which greatly shocked the committee members.

‘Ice’ on the rise

According to Sassi Director General Dr Maria Sultan, 44- to 53 per cent of students aged between 12 and 19 years in private schools are taking either artificial or hard drugs. Many are addicted to heroin.

Talking to Gulf News yesterday, a senior police official of Secretariat Police Islamabad said that some common drugs being used in schools and colleges are opium, cocaine, marijuana and hashish, but now — crystal meth or ‘ice’ — is rising in popularity. Ice is considered one of the most harmful drugs, damaging the nervous system.

An expensive drug, 500 grams of pure crystal meth is being sold for Rs5,000 (Dh136) to Rs10,000.