ISLAMABAD - Higher authorities of Ministry of Narcotics Control admitted on Tuesday that women drug addiction in Pakistan was increasing at a high rate despite the seizure of huge quantity of drugs.
“Women drug addiction in our country has increased alarmingly. During the past couple of years. However, we are trying our best to control it,” Director General Planning and Monitoring Unit, Ministry of Narcotics Control, Muhammad Shahid said on Tuesday while addressing the participants of awareness workshop on substance abuse amongst women in Pakistan. Ministry of Narcotics Control arranged the workshop.
The basic purpose of this training programme was to empower women to fight drug addiction successfully without violating religious values, said the officials of Ministry of Narcotics Control.
He also informed that 47% of women drugs addict have acquired either college or university education and 21% of them have either primary or matric education. The major drug which is under use is charas and its rate of addiction is 47%.
Answering the question how drugs are provided to female addicts, he said 43% drugs addicts’ gets drugs from friends and 15.6% from neighbours.
Telling this reasons of women drug addiction, he said that highest percentage uses drugs for pleasure and it is followed by stress related emotional physical pain, domestic violence and forced by husbands.
Joint Secretary Narcotics Control, Zulqarnain Amir addressed the gathering that Pakistan is victims of drugs due to its proximity with world’s largest producer of drugs. He further said that although Pakistan succeeds to seize huge amount of drugs every years and international community acknowledges and appreciates our achievements in this regard, yet a significant amount of drugs is being used in our country.
He said that Ministry of Narcotics Control is arranging such programme to sensitise masses not to use drugs. He also emphasized the participant not to treat women as culprit, rather sympathetic attitude should be adopted and they should be treated with great care.