LAHORE, Jan 30: Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that the government is committed to making Punjab narcotics-free province.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, she said that the government was making sincere efforts to make the country conducive for the younger generation, where they could utilise their capabilities in a useful way in the larger national interest.

Dr Firdous said that on the direction of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, rehabilitation centres were being set up for the drug addicts in nine divisions of the province.

The SACM said that a decision had been taken to expand the area of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) police stations up to district level.

She said that elimination of drugs was a national cause, so it had been decided to monitor it under the national policy.

The initiatives taken by the ANF at federal level would be implemented in Punjab through police, she added. It was of utmost important to break supply chain of the heinous crime to protect our future generations, she added.

She said that the previous government had not set right priorities for the wellbeing of the country, adding that narcotics issue should be handled above politics.

Dr Firdous said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was committed to crushing all types of mafias.

Police Deputy inspector-General (DIG) Operations Sohail Akhtar Sukhera said on the occasion the police had conducted targeted operations to nab big drug suppliers and those who support them.

He said that action had been taken against 494 people and 419 of them were arrested. In the second phase, 46,000 cases had been registered whereas huge quantity of hashish, heroin, liquor and ice was recovered.

He said that all-out efforts would be made to eliminate the heinous crime at all levels. He said that it was very important to protect our future generations from menace of narcotics.

The DIG said that as far as educational institutions were concerned, action was being taken on the basis of information. He said that 363 cases had been registered in this regard, whereas 380 people were arrested, who used to supply drugs in schools.