484,000 heroin users in Pakistan
By Mona Khan

ISLAMABAD—Anwer Hafeez Khan Director DAPRC Anti Narcotics Force Pakistan said that in Pakistan the estimated number of injecting drug users in Pakistan has doubled since 2000 and now there are 484,000 heroin users including 125,000 drug injectors.
He was addressing the concluding session of the anti drug awareness campaign jointly launched by Community Support Programme and Anti Narcotics Force Pakistan, Ministry of Narcotics control. In this regard, concluding ceremony was held at Islamabad Model College for Girls, F-10/2 Islamabad. Anwer Hafeez Khan, Director DAPRC, Anti Narcotics Force Pakistan was the chief Guest on the occasion.
This project was launched as follow up of the recommendations of conference on “Sensitization of Heads of Federal Institutes against Drug Abuse” jointly organized Ministry of Narcotics Control, Anti Narcotics Force Pakistan and Community Support Programme Pakistan on 15th May 2007 at Islamabad.
Through this project speech competitions under the title “Role of Students against Drug Abuse” were organized and information material for awareness raising was distributed among the students belonging to ten public and private educational institutes of Federal Capital of Pakistan.
The main objectives of this anti drug abuse awareness drive were to create awareness among the students about the social, economic and health related costs of the drugs and to involve educated youth, an important segment of society to play their vital role in anti-drug drive.
Ten students who secured first positions in their respective educational institutes participated in the concluding/final ceremony. The young speakers in their speeches emphasized over the students to take leading role in fight against drug abuse. They educated youth should protect themselves and should create awareness among their friends and general public about the negative effects of the drugs. They also suggested that promotion of volunteerism and healthy extra curricular activities including sports among the students can be quite effective in reducing drug abuse .Among the female students Zara Ahmed of F.G Girls Higher Secondary School 1-9/1 Islamabad, Sana Ahmed Islamabad Model College for Girls F-10/2, Faitma Saleem Federal Govt. College for Women F-7/2 Islamabad secured first, second and third positions respectively while among the male students, Bakht Jamshed , City School Islamabad stood first and Munib Zafar Beacon House School System Islamabad, Ahsan Qureshi ASAS International School secured second and third positions. The chief guest distributed prizes and shields among the position holder students and participating educational institutes.
Anwer Hafeez Khan Director DAPRC Anti Narcotics Force Pakistan in his addresses said Drug Abuse has become global phenomena, affecting the very fabric of the socio economic structure of the families and country. Drug abuse has many negative physiological health effects, ranging from minor issues like digestion problems or respiratory infections, to potentially fatal diseases, like AIDS and Hepatitis C. According to the National Assessment Study on Drug Abuse in Pakistan 2006 there are 484,000 heroin users including 125,000 drug injectors. An alarming trend is that the estimated number of injecting drug users in Pakistan has doubled since 2000.