The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday directed the Higher Education Commission to submit a detailed report on measures being taken by universities to curb the spread of drugs in educational institutions.
Justice Inam Amin Minhas, while hearing the case, instructed the Ministry of Education to obtain federal government approval for rules related to drug prevention. The court also ordered the HEC to include the Anti-Narcotics Force and police officials in a monitoring committee overseeing anti-drug efforts.
During the proceedings, reference was made to the Anmol Pinky case, while petitioner’s counsel Kashif Malik informed the court that delivery riders and workers in Karachi had allegedly been found involved in drug distribution. Justice Minhas observed that concerns regarding the use of delivery personnel in the transportation of narcotics had been raised from the outset.
HEC officials told the court that designated areas had been established for delivery riders within universities and that all individuals entering campuses were being checked.
The court directed authorities to ensure regular monitoring in educational institutions and instructed the Islamabad district administration and police to adopt effective measures against narcotics.
Lawyers appearing in the case also warned that drug use had spread to schools, with students of seventh and eighth grades reportedly being affected. Advocate Rafi told the court that narcotics were easily available even at small grocery stores in Islamabad.
Justice Minhas further observed that officials showing strong performance in anti-drug operations were at times transferred, potentially undermining enforcement efforts.
The court also directed the media to run awareness campaigns during prime-time transmissions and sought a report from Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority regarding steps taken in this regard.
The hearing was adjourned until the last week of June, with the court seeking monitoring reports from the HEC, police and district administration on anti-drug measures in educational institutions.
