ISLALMABAD (Dunya News) – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to submit a detailed report on measures being taken by universities to eradicate drugs.
Justice Inam Amin Minhas, presiding over the hearing, instructed the Ministry of Education to have federal government approval for rules regarding drug prevention. The court also ordered HEC to include the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) and police in a monitoring committee.
During the hearing, reference was made to the Anmol Pinky case, and the petitioner’s lawyer, Kashif Malik, highlighted that delivery riders and workers in Karachi have been found involved in distributing drugs. Justice Minhas remarked that from the outset, he had emphasized that drugs are being moved through delivery personnel.
HEC officials informed the court that specific areas for delivery riders have been designated in universities and that all entrants are checked. The court directed regular monitoring in educational institutions and instructed the Islamabad district administration and police to ensure effective measures against drugs.
Lawyers also pointed out that drug use has now spread to schools, with students as young as seventh and eighth grade being affected. Advocate Rafi highlighted that drugs are easily available even in small grocery stores in Islamabad.
Justice Minhas noted that officers performing well in the anti-drug effort are sometimes transferred, potentially affecting enforcement. The court also instructed the media to run prime-time awareness campaigns and requested a report from PEMRA.
The Islamabad High Court has adjourned the case until the last week of June and sought monitoring reports from HEC, police, and the district administration regarding anti-drug efforts in educational institutions.