The Institute of Clinical Psychology of the University of Karachi organized a one-day national conference on substance use prevention and treatment: bridging the gap between research and practice (ICP-NCSUPT-2023), Local Challenge Fund (LCF) by the Higher Education Commission, Pakistan and supported by World Bank held at KU’s HEJ Auditorium. The chief guest of the national conference, the provincial health minister Dr Saad Khalid said that we need to understand why drugs are being used, there are many societal reasons, and the lack of rehabilitation centers is also one of the reasons that figures of drug addicts are on the rise. He informed the audience that Gutka is also a type of drug but society does not consider it as a drug which is a matter of concern, we will make center of excellence in universities.
We have completely forgotten Islamic teachings on drugs. Religious scholars are not providing adequate awareness for drug prevention. Vape and electronic cigarettes are against our social values, it is also a form of addiction, and it is more dangerous than smoking cigarettes.Dr Saad Niaz shared that the role of media is also very important for the prevention of drugs, there should be a program on it in the morning shows regularly.
Regional Directorate Commander, RD ANF Sindh Brig Umar mentioned that ANF Sindh seized six metric tons of drugs in 2023, which are worth 81 million dollars in the international market, and arrested 252 traffickers this year. Another guest of honor, the Chairman of the Sindh Mental Health Authority Senator Dr Karim said that urged that we have to look at the possible way forward to prevent the use of substances in society. Meanwhile, the KU Vice Chancellor Khalid Mahmood Iraqi shared that substance use is a significantly detrimental problem of this era that acts as a barrier to the evolution of the youth.
