KARACHI: Almost 31 percent of traffic accidents have been reported due to use of the drugs [by the drivers]. The drug addiction could destroy the life of a person forever.

This was said by the Joint Director of the Anti-Narcotics Force Sindh Lt. Col. Anwar Hussain in an awareness session held at Sindh Madressatul Islam University (SMIU) on Thursday. The awareness session was attended by the students of SMIU and SMI Model School, faculty members, officials and the staff at the university’s Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto Auditorium.

“It is our collective responsibility to get rid of this menace,” Mr. Hussain urged. He said that not only the awareness but the consequences of drug use should also be understood. He said that different kinds of drugs were directly targeting our youth especially the students in the universities.

The ANF official also announced that a few talented students from SMIU will be selected as the ‘Youth Ambassadors’ who will take part in anti-drug related drive on the campus. “This is a historical institution of our country,” Mr. Hussain said. He said that it was an honor for him to attend the session at SMIU.

SMIU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mujeebuddin Sahrai Memon said that: “I appreciate the concept and the efforts of the ANF team taken for the students of this great institute.” Prof. Memon said that it was a collective responsibility to discourage the use and supply of drugs. “We have to secure our future generation,” he urged.

“I assure the ANF team that there will be zero tolerance for drug use in the SMIU campus,” Prof. Memon said. The SMIU VC also announced conducting lectures on the topic of drugs. The clinical psychologist and addiction therapist from ANF Dr. Sana Aslam briefed the audience about the use of drugs and their impacts on the mind and body. “The awareness in educational institutions is very important,” Dr. Sana Aslam said. The awareness session was arranged by SMIU’s Directorate of Student Affairs and Counselling.