ISLAMABAD, JUL 20 /DNA/ – Karim Khan Afridi Welfare Foundation in partnership with Serena Hotel brought together key Pakistan stakeholders along with visiting dignatories from the Turkish Green Crescent Society, Istanbul, for a roundtable discussion focused on the state of drug use in Pakistan: issues, challenges and response.

KKAWF CEO, Cristina von Sperling Afridi welcoming the participants highlighted that Prevention starts with all of us. that despite worldwide recognition and seizures, global drug use has reached record high with an estimated 331 million people having used drugs in 2024, equivalent to 6.2 per cent of the world’s population aged 15 to 64, up from 5.2 per cent a decade ago. The worry is that increasingly potent synthetic drugs are spreading and reshaping illicit markets and exposing vulnerable youth to greater health risks. In 2024, authorities identified 755 new psychoactive substances, including 118 reported for the first time, she said.

Ambassador Dr Mehmet Gulluoglu – Secretary General of the International Federation of Green Crescent & Vice President of Turkish Green Crescent Society (Yesilay ) said that Yesilay is glad to be in Islamabad to build partnerships to establish its office here. He stated that KKAWF his a partner in its programs and with the alarming rise in drugs use in Pakistan it would be a well timed initiative to have a presence in Pakistan.

The roundtable was moderated by Syed Talat Hussain, TV host/anchor. The participants provided their perspectives on best practices for keeping children from harms of drug use. The discussion highlighted key issues and challenges in Pakistan and implementing stronger priority to drug prevention activities.

Among those who attended included Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, Chairperson NCRC via video, Joint Secretary AKhlaque Queshi, Ministry of Narcotics Control, Anti Narcotics Force, DIG Police, NRSP and others.

Other speakers at the gathering also said that the urgency to implement evidence-based prevention responses in educational institutions has never been greater in light of reports showing 17 million youth between 18 – 30 being drug users (ANF, 2025), 53% of university students used drugs (2022) and drugs hitting every fourth household in the city of Karachi,.

The event held in the Faisabad Boardroom, Serena Hotel Islamabad.=DNA