ISLAMABAD, OCT 14 /DNA/ – The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan held a meeting on, ‘Drug Prevention, Awareness, and Control Measures in Educational Institutions’ to discuss reported cases of drug use and supply and to deliberate on measures to strengthen preventive measures, institutional responses, awareness initiatives, monitoring, and inter-agency coordination. 

The meeting, chaired by Ms. Rabia Naseem Farooqi, Member National Assembly (MNA) and Parliamentary Secretary Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, was attended by Director General Research & Analysis Activities (R&AA) HEC Engr. Saleem Ullah Sohoo, and representatives of Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police.  

Director General R&AA HEC Engr. Saleem Ullah Sohoo briefed the Chair on the initiatives undertaken by HEC to address drug and tobacco abuse in higher education institutions (HEIs). He presented an overview of reported cases during 2025, updates from January to September 2026, and the measures taken by HEIs to address such cases. He also highlighted HEC’s ongoing collaboration with the ANF and other relevant authorities, including awareness programmes, institutional monitoring, and coordinated efforts to prevent drug use and supply in educational institutions.

The representatives of ANF and ICT Police shared their perspectives on existing enforcement and prevention measures. They highlighted the importance of effective institutional mechanisms, coordinated action, awareness campaigns, and the adoption of appropriate preventive and control measures by educational institutions.

In her remarks, Ms. Rabia Naseem Farooqi appreciated the initiatives undertaken by HEC and the measures adopted by higher education institutions to address the issue. She emphasised the need for regular follow-up meetings with relevant stakeholders to review progress, assess implementation, and strengthen coordinated efforts. She also proposed a roundtable discussion with the heads of public and private federal/ICT higher education institutions, along with members of their respective Anti-Drug and Tobacco Committees (ADTCs), to review implementation status, examine institutional mechanisms, identify challenges, and develop a coordinated way forward for more effective prevention and control.