KARACHI: The Sindh government in order to address the health issues of school children and spread of narcotics in educational institutions has decided to conduct blood screening of all the students receiving education in public and private sectors in the province once in a year.
This was decision was taken by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in his meeting with Director General Anti-Narcotic Force (ANF) Major General Musarrat Nawaz Malik at the CM House. The meeting was attended by Secretary Health Fazal Pechuho, Secretary Home Qazi Shahid Pervez, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput and Commander ANF Karachi Noorul Hassan.
Chief Minister said that after going through the news reports of usage of narcotics by the students of educational institutions in federal capital, he has become worried about the students receiving education and living in hostels in Sindh. “I want you [DG ANF] to help Sindh government to combat this menace,” he asked DG ANF.
The DG ANF said that he was also conscious about the issue and his force has started working on it. “On this ANF needs support of provincial government for which your [CM] guidance and approval was required and you have entrusted us and the ANF would produce congenial the results,” he said.
The Chief Minister said his government has already launched a targeted operation against drug mafia. The ANF has to help the provincial government to eliminate the organized gangs involved in supply of narcotics items in the city. “When they [drug mafia] move unchecked they can penetrate anywhere particularly into the educational institutions,” he said and added “there should be a strong mechanism of surveillance for which police, Excise & Taxation would help and support ANF,” he assured. The meeting also discussed that the blood screening of student receiving education in public and private sector is most important in terms of keeping an eye on their health issues.
