ISLAMABAD: The magnitude of drugs as a threat to human security is far more serious than meets the eye. Drugs are silently killing far more people than terrorism besides rendering millions useless.

This was stated by Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) director general Major Gen Mohammad Arif Malik at a conference on Thursday. The event was organised by the ANF to formulate joint mechanism against narcotics and drug abuse in educationalinstitutions.

He said drug abuse exacerbated juvenile crime rates and fostered low educa-tional achievements.

`Government efforts alone cannot address drug spread in educational institutions as it is basically a societal setback emerged from feeble social bond fueled by peer pressure, low self-esteem, stress, frustration, curiosity and communal surrounds.

He said drug threat to students can effectively be addressed by dedicated and involved faculty since students responded more to teachers than parents.

He said there was a dire need to devise a workable strategy to counter narcotics prevalence which was creeping gradually in and around our academic institutions.

Force Commander RegionalDirectorate ANF North Brigadier Mubashir Kazmi presented an overview of the prevalent drug situation environment.

The presentation was followed by discussion on agenda points of conference which mainly focused on devising joint mechanism, areas of cooperation, reasons of addiction, remedial measures, ef fective control and nomination of focal persons.

Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (Peira) Chairman Imtiaz Ali Qureshi, who was the chief guest, appreciated the public awareness campaigns being undertaken by ANF in educational institutions to alert the youth against hazards of drug uses.He offered his organisational support to beat the use of drugs among students. He said formulation of joint mechanism was the most effective way to counter drug abusein educationalinstitutions.

The participants offered a number of suggestions thatincluded declaring educational institutions as smoke-free zone, incorporating security cameras for addict profiling, employing psychiatrist/ psychologist in institutions, confidential sharing of information with ANF, mentors training drug-workshops, launching drug-awareness campaigns in institutions and strengthening student-teacher, student-parents and teacher-parents bonds.