Drug abuse has become deadly evil of huge magnitude in Kashmir: Dr Darakhshan Andrabi

Srinagar, Nov 15: Chairperson of Jammu & Kashmir Waqf Board & Minister of State Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi today participated in an anti-drug awareness programme here.

The programme was organised by an NGO Save Kashmir at Exhibition Ground Srinagar. School children and youth from different walks of life participated in the programme.

In her address Dr Andrabi said that “this silent killer was introduced in Kashmir by those who wanted youth to follow their dictates of stone throwing and killing people in Kashmir for more than three decades.”

"Drug trade was the main source of funding the violence in Kashmir for three decades. Those who remained in power during this period supported this notorious industry and used these traders for their political benefits. This nexus has ruined the future of our youth", she said.

Dr Andrabi said that she had been regularly raising her voice everywhere about this “catastrophic situation” for more than a decade. “But people with political interests had resolved not to intervene. Majority of our so-called civil society representatives were busy speaking in tune with separatists when this conspiracy of destroying our generations was being implemented at ground level with the help of our politicians,” she said.

“Now it has become a deadly evil of a huge magnitude. This year the government nabbed thousands and booked a large number of then under severe cases, but it is not going to help till we all utilise our utmost powers at individual levels to uproot this deep rooted network from the society", said Dr Darakhshan.

She said that religious leaders, intellectuals and the media fraternity have bigger roles to play. She appealed to the people to organise small programmes at mohalla levels to mobilise youth against drug menace. The organiser of the event Arish Bhat while welcoming Dr Andrabi said that she has been continuously working for creating awareness regarding drug menace.