The Prevention of Drugs in Educational Institution Bill says that if a student tests positive for drug use more than once, they will be “referred to [a] drug rehabilitation centre”. The expenses for the facility will be borne by the student.

“If the student cannot afford such a facility, the cost shall be borne by the federal government and in case private facility (approved by the federal government) is availed, the expenses equivalent to those incurred in a public-sector rehabilitation [centre] shall be covered by the federal government,” it says.

Is the government capable of catering to potentially thousands of students and providing them with quality rehabilitation?

According to a senior Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) official, there are only three rehabilitation centres at the government level, all run by the force – one each in Islamabad, Karachi and Quetta. The majority of people running the Islamabad facility are volunteers, including doctors and paramedical staff.

“The government does give us funding, but it is nowhere near enough,” he said.

The facility in Islamabad has 45 beds and a waiting list of 800 people at any given time, he said, which includes patients from Azad Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other areas.

According to Talal Zubair, director of the private addiction treatment centre, Willing Ways, the condition of the ANF centres is “very pathetic”.

“The government simply does not have the infrastructure to deal with something like this. We do have psychiatry units in government hospitals, but they are not equipped. For instance, you need to have a quarantine environment for drug addicts. There are many psychological disorders behind drug abuse which need to be addressed.”

But the ANF official was sceptical of the private rehabilitation centres in Islamabad as well.

“Government-run centres will be the best option for students, if such a project is ever undertaken. That is because one, private rehabilitation centres are not regulated so we do not know what sort of treatments they are providing and two, because most of them are interested in making money they will extend treatment unnecessarily,” he said.

Mr Zubair said the government does not even have the infrastructure for regulating private rehabilitation centres.

UNODC’s adviser on drug demand reduction Dr Manzoorul Haq said the government should set up a body for regulating drug rehabilitation centres run by the private sector, civil society and the government. The body will ensure these facilities are following protocols in line with international standards.

He quoted a 2012-13 survey which said four million of 6.7m drug users across the country required drug treatment services. “And how many drug treatment services or centres are available in the country? 100? 150? We do not know as yet,” he said.

Research is also needed into the types of rehabilitation centres and treatment services available, he said.

“Rehabilitation and reintegration into society is a long journey for the person undergoing treatment as well as the family. You have to invest in the family and support system. That should be visible in our policies and strategies and in the practical implementation,” he said.

A bigger issue will be resistance from parents, the ANF official said.

“In our society, we like to keep everything under wraps. How do you think we will be able to convince parents to let us take their sons, and daughters, to a rehabilitation centre for drug use,” he asked. Security concerns will also need to be addressed, such as providing separate facilities for students and then a further division for male and female patients.

Society for Human Rights and Prisoners Aid Chairperson Liaquat Banori said he did not think any rehabilitation facilities will be established even if this bill passed.

“We have a record of not providing the infrastructure specified in other laws so what makes us think that these rehabilitation centres will ever be established,” he said and gave the example of shelters for victims of gender-based violence or human trafficking, which have yet to be established as specified in various laws.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2018