In a decisive move to combat the escalating issue of drug abuse among students, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan and the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) reaffirmed their commitment during a meeting at the HEC Secretariat on Thursday. Director General ANF, Major General Abdul Moeed, commended HEC’s role in raising awareness about the dire effects of drug abuse among the youth.

He emphasized the positive impact of ANF’s collaborative efforts with institutions like HEC in protecting the younger generation from narcotics. Highlighting the success of awareness campaigns conducted across universities, he praised HEC for its facilitation and noted that the HEC Policy on Drug and Tobacco Abuse has been instrumental in these initiatives.

Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed reiterated HEC’s dedication to eradicating drug use in higher education institutions. He proposed that ANF conduct direct interactive sessions with universities via the HEC Smart Classroom facility, which can engage over 4000 participants simultaneously. “HEC is committed to extending all possible support to efforts aimed at curbing drug usage in higher education institutions and promoting a healthier and safer learning environment for students,” he affirmed.

The meeting also explored the feasibility of new measures to meet these objectives and agreed to strengthen strategies to counter the growing threat of narcotics, which poses a significant risk to the youth.