Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) Holds Briefing Session with Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control on Youth-Centric Anti-Narcotics Initiatives
Islamabad : Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) of the National Assembly of Pakistan, held a comprehensive briefing session with Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control at Parliament House, to review key initiatives aimed at preventing drug abuse and combating narcotics trafficking, with special focus on youth-centric measures.
The session was chaired by the President of the Young Parliamentarians Forum, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, MNA, and was attended by a large number of Members of the National Assembly, including members of the Women Parliamentary Caucus (WPC), reflecting strong cross-caucus parliamentary engagement on an issue of national importance.
The Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control was represented by Brigadier Syed Imran Ali, Director Enforcement, who delivered a detailed briefing on behalf of the Secretary, Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control. Senior officers present during the session included Lt. Col. Taimur Niazi, Joint Director Enforcement, Shahzad Durrani, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, and Muhammad Tariq, Director (Law).
In her opening remarks, the President YPF, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, MNA, emphasized that drug abuse and narcotics trafficking constitute not only a law-and-order challenge but also a serious social, public health, and national security concern, disproportionately affecting Pakistan’s youth. She highlighted that with young people comprising nearly two-thirds of the country’s total population, sustained, coordinated, and evidence-based responses are imperative.
During the briefing, Brigadier Syed Imran Ali apprised YPF of the Ministry’s preventive, rehabilitative, and enforcement strategies, including awareness and education campaigns, community-based interventions, treatment and rehabilitation mechanisms, and actions taken against organized narcotics trafficking networks. He also highlighted emerging challenges such as the rise of synthetic drugs, poly-drug use, cross-border trafficking, and the misuse of digital platforms for narcotics-related activities.
Members participating in the discussion, raised issues related to the availability and geographic coverage of rehabilitation facilities, post-rehabilitation reintegration support, inter-agency coordination, and federal–provincial collaboration in the post–18th Amendment framework. Members from the Women Parliamentary Caucus underscored the indirect yet profound impact of drug abuse on women, children, and families, stressing the need for gender-sensitive and youth-responsive policies.
President YPF, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar reaffirmed the commitment of YPF to supporting national efforts through legislation, parliamentary oversight, budgetary scrutiny, and constituency-level advocacy, and emphasized the importance of sustained parliamentary–executive engagement to strengthen policy outcomes.
The session concluded with mutual appreciation and a shared resolve to continue collaboration through regular briefings and coordinated actions to effectively address drug abuse and narcotics trafficking in Pakistan.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
