Drug addict prisoners in Sindh to be treated: meeting told

KARACHI: A meeting held here, with Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah in the chair, was informed that currently, 508 prisoners are drug addicts in Sindh jails, who are being treated to transform their lives.

“As many as 140 drug addicts, which is largest number among all inmates of other prisons of province, are lodged at Malir Jail,” the meeting was told. The meeting was called to discuss the measures aimed at improving the conditions and working of Drug Addicts Rehabilitation Centers of the province.

“All the Rehabilitation Centers would be made to ensure uniform course, technical training and treatment to the drug addicts and they will have to appoint psychologists and trained staff,” the chief secretary said. “For this purpose, the rehabilitation centers would be registered with Sindh Healthcare Commission and would be provided financial assistance as well as security,” he added.

He said the training course modules would be designed with the help of Sindh government’s Technical and Vocational Training Department, Hunar Foundation and other organizations.

The chief secretary sought a complete record of rehabilitation centers so that it could be scrutinized properly by the health department before registering them. He also called for submitting a detailed report on requirements of rehabilitation centers, including doctors and financial assistance, within a week. The meeting was further informed that drug addict prisoners undergo three-month course but they again become addicted after their release.

Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shahlwani, Additional IGP Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon, Secretary Social Welfare Dr Muhammad Nawaz Shaikh, officers of prison department, Anti-Narcotics Force and representatives of rehabilitation centers attended the meeting.