KARACHI   -   Sindh Senior Minister for Information, Exice, Taxation and Narcotics Control as well Transport and Mass Transit System Sharjeel Inam Memon has said the Sindh government making efforts to protect younger generation from the menace of drugs. While addressing a press conference on Monday, he said that the societies around the world were facing a common challenge. The Senior Minister said that the Sindh government was planning to conduct random drug tests on students in educational institutions.

If any child tested positive, their case will be handled with complete confidentiality. Additionally, strict action will be taken against those involved in supplying drugs. He said our children were studying in publice and private schools, colleges and universities and it was our responsibility to protect them.

Sharjeel said that the scourge of drugs persisted in the province. The crackdown of the Sindh government would continue until the end of the drugs. All the departments of the Sindh government, especially the Minister of Home Affairs, Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar, are also with us in this grand action against drug mafia. President Asif Ali Zardari, in his recent visit to Karachi, has given special instructions to end the scourge of drugs.

He further said that the Excise and Taxation Department and the Sindh Police under the special supervision of Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah have taken vigorous actions against drug peddling in the last one and a half months.  Now, there will be even more stringent action, with operations carried out with the assistance of the Police, Rangers, Excise Taxation, and Anti-Narcotics Force. He mentioned that the Sindh government was planning to establish new rehabilitation centers. He urged parents to pay special attention to their children and requested the media to conduct an awareness campaign against drugs, especially ice (methamphetamine).

He claimed that in the last month and a half, 1550 suspects have been arrested in ongoing operations against drug dealers. Authorities have seized 236 kg of ice, 900 grams of heroin, and 51,906 kg of hashish from drug dealer, the Department of Excise and Taxation and Narcotics Control has confiscated a large quantity of drugs in an operation against drug dealers. He emphasized that those who lead the youth into drug addiction were national criminals.

Sharjeel mentioned that the ongoing operation in Katcha was making progress, with the Sindh Police achieving significant success.  Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the Sunni Ittehad Council had not submitted the list for reserved seats. He emphasized that the country operated under the constitution of Pakistan, and it cannot run based on anyone’s wishes.

He added that if a party participating in the election had not submitted the list of reserved seats before the election, it had no constitutional right to demand reserved seats. He mentioned that President Asif Ali Zardari has expressed his intention to hold a monthly meeting to review the performance of the provincial government.

Sindh Secretary of Excise and Taxation, Saleem Rajput, Secretary of Information Nadeem ur Rehman Memon, and other relevant officers were also present on this occasion.