No to drugs

One drug addict is enough to bring down the entire family. A considerable portion of our youth is falling prey to different types of drugs. All the same, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has taken the bull by horns using all possible methods and means to curb the menace.

The force has officers like Riaz Ahmed Soomro who know how to feel the pulse of the society. He is a director whose job is to reduce the demand for drugs in the society. This is the key area requiring complex qualities as it deals with almost all segments of society.

I have seen activities of ANF at universities and colleges creating awareness about the horrors of drug addiction among youth and was always interested to meet the brain behind it. Fortunately, documentary maker Ramzan Ali arranged my meeting with Director Soomro in Rawalpindi.

To start with, he was very hospitable and respectable personality. He said ANF is cognizant of the fact that our youth is the most vulnerable to drugs addiction.

“We study youth habits. Generally, it starts from high school. So we have focused on high schools to nip it in the bud,” he said.

He dashed down the impression that things are different at medical colleges and engineering universities where it is believed that only highly shining students can get in. “These students are shining but they need extensive care. We keep an eye on these institutions to prevent addiction and reduce demand for drugs,” he said.

Director Soomro is very well aware of how to promote a message in limited budget. “We have some budget constraints but then we know how to disseminate our message in an effective manner,” he said.

He showed us envelops inscribed with the ANF trademark message: No to drugs. “In addition to these envelops, we have managed to get our slogan printed on all kind of utility bills,” he said. So now when you get your electricity or gas bill, you will also get the message telling you to give a big no to drugs.

“Yes, Rawalpindi is a tough area. We have arranged awareness programmes at almost all universities here including Fatima Jinnah Women University. We went to the colleges in Wah and Taxila where we have got a good response,” he said.

Engaging with the youth that do not go to schools and colleges is a difficult task but Director Soomro believes that it is not impossible. “If we succeed in curbing smoking, we will succeed in the fight against drugs. We have been making adults aware of their responsibility to discourage smoking trends among children. For this purpose, we have developed a lot of promotional material,” he said.

Director Soomro is a thorough professional knowing well where to get tough and soft to spread his message.

If district administration is performing its responsibilities professionally, it simply supplements the ANF efforts to curb drugs. Situation in Islamabad is not so worse where the district administration is awake to its duties and a check on drugs is put in place. But a lot is needed to be done in Rawalpindi and we hope that ANF will cleans the garrison city of drugs soon.

— Hassan Shehzad

from The News International - Islamabad https://ift.tt/2PP9nnt