Islamabad:
In response to the rising threat of drugs, abuse and the lack of child protection mechanisms in educational institutions, a Senate panel on Tuesday called for urgent, coordinated measures to ensure a safe and drug -free learning environment for children, beginning with a pilot initiative in Islamabad.
The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights was led by acting chairman Senator Irfan-Ul-Haque Siddiqui, in the absence of chair Samina Mumtaz Zehri, who could not participate for health reasons.
The committee convened to consider the growing threats of children’s rights in educational institutions, especially the alarming increase in drug use, sexual abuse and the absence of mental health and rights -based education in school curricula.
Senator Irfan-Ul-Haque Siddiqui expressed serious concern about the availability of drugs in educational institutions, especially within the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), and emphasized that immediate steps must be taken.
He also highlighted the lack of collaboration from provinces in similar initiatives and emphasized the need to first tackle the situation within the federal jurisdiction.
He questioned the effectiveness of current consciousness initiatives in schools and noted that existing textbooks and curricula do not convey the severity of drug -related dangers.
He called for the involvement of a dedicated chapter on drug awareness at all grade levels and called for the use of realistic examples to ensure that the message is effectively communicated to students.
In addition, Senator Siddiqui said to highlight deficiencies in teacher education and curriculum development, “No curriculum can succeed without skilled teachers. Educational programs for teachers remain weak and this must be treated immediately.”
The committee agreed to establish a committee recommending that the Ministry of the Interior designate a focal unit for ICT, including representatives from the Ministry of Education, ICT administration, Islamabad Police, Anti-Narkotics-Forces (Anf) and Human Rights Division.
The device will oversee zonevis implementation, develop standard operating procedures (SOP) for educational institutions and create a reporting mechanism to track drug -related activities.
Senator Siddiqui emphasized the need for a pilot model in Islamabad that could serve as a framework for other regions.
“We need to create a role model initiative in Islamabad and streamline the process. This problem cannot be solved overnight, but a structured and targeted approach will lead us in the right direction,” he said.
