Srinagar, Feb 6 : MLA Sajjad Shaheen on Thursday said the Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly has agreed to hold a comprehensive discussion on the growing drug menace, terming it a crucial step towards addressing one of the most serious threats facing the region’s youth.

Shaheen said drug abuse has reached alarming levels in Jammu and Kashmir and cannot be treated as a routine law and order issue. He welcomed the Speaker’s assurance, saying a structured and outcome oriented debate in the House was necessary to frame effective measures to tackle the problem.

Raising concern over the role of drug networks, the MLA said it was deeply disturbing that drug peddlers were operating near schools and colleges with the intention of trapping young people. He said such activities were aimed at destroying the future of the new generation and demanded immediate intervention.

Shaheen, as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust emphasized the need to curb drug smuggling along the borders, stating that narcotics were entering Jammu and Kashmir through organised channels driven by profit. He said the fight against drugs must begin internally as well, adding that institutions and society must first put their own houses in order.

He said all possible steps should be taken to foil the designs of those who are collaborating with external elements to spread the drug menace in the region. At the same time, he cautioned against making allegations without evidence, stressing that no department or individual should be accused without proof.

Calling for a united and evidence based approach, Shaheen said the issue of drug abuse must be addressed collectively to safeguard the future of Jammu and Kashmir’s youth. [KNT]