To mark the 70th World Human Rights Day, Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (JKHRC) today organized a seminar here at the Auditorium Hall of Information Department.Speaking on the occasion, Chairperson, JKHRC, Retired Chief Justice Bilal Ahmad Nazki said, “One of our jobs is to make the people feel the pain of the ill effects of our society. During the current year, more than 10,000 people visited SMHS hospital and Police Drug De-Addiction and Rehabilitation to get treatment for their drug addiction. That is the reason, we choose Drug Abuse topic on today’s Human Rights Day,’’ said Nazki.Recalling some of his recent experiences about drug prevalence of addiction in the society, Nazki said, “One of the boys told me that he had stolen all ornaments of his mother and sister to purchase drugs. Another person spent Rs 75 lakh on the drugs.”The Chairperson JKHRC said, “We discuss all sort of issues in our casual chats or during marriage ceremonies, but we never discuss drug abuse. My target is to create a debate on the topic. I want to create a sense of pain in society and treatment will come easily. Today, synthetic drugs are supplied from somewhere else which is more dangerous than cannabis. If we cut the supply line, we will be able to solve the problem to a great extent. Solutions have to find out within our social set-up.”
Nazki said that need is to create mass awareness across the state about drug-abuse so that it can be completely eradicated.On the occasion, the organizers distributed informative material, which read that as per the survey conducted by United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP), there are 70,000 drug addicts in Kashmir alone, out of which 4000 are women.As per the survey, 65 to 70% of students in Kashmir are drug addicts.As per the statistics issued by Government Psychiatric disease hospital, Rainawari, 90% drug users are in the age group of 17 to 35 years with a lifetime prevalence of drug addiction.The informative material read that in his study leading Psychiatrist Dr Mushtaq Margoob has found, “More than two lakh people in Kashmir are into the consumption of illegal drugs.In his address, Divisional Commissioner Baseer Ahmad Khan said, “Our endeavour should be to stop drug abuse at the grassroots level. The community-based approach is needed to map out vulnerable areas and persons. Lectures should be delivered in schools and colleges besides sports personalities shall be involved to create mass awareness against drug addiction.
The concerned departments should make an effective plan to combat drug abuse across the valley. Divisional, District and area level Committees should be constituted which will take periodical reviews so that effective mechanism is developed to deal with the serious problem.”IGP S P Pani said the need is to tackle the issue smartly where society also has to show their compassion to bring all the drug addicts back to the normal life. Now, the synthetic drug has come to the market. For eradication the menace, Public-Police partnership is the need of the hour. Police are committed to eradicating drug abuse from society.Retired Justice and Member J&K Accountability Commission Bashir Ahmad Kirmani, Professor GMC Dr Arshid Hussain, Dr Muzzaffar Khan, VC CUK Meraj ud Din Mir, Dean Law CUK Sheikh Showkat Hussain, Member JKSHRC Abdul Hamid Wani and Member JKSHRC Jang Bahadur Singh Jamwal also highlighted ill effects and remedies to curb drug menace across the valley.DC Srinagar Dr Syed Abid Rashid Shan, DC Budgam Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar, ADC Baramullah Farooq Ahmad Baba, Joint Director Information Mohammad Ashraf Hakak, ADDC Kupwara Director Litigation, Deputy Director SDA, members of JKSHRC, Principals, Headmasters, media persons and other government officers also attended the seminar.