Schools told to increase surveillance to counter drug sale to students
ISLAMABAD: The capital administration has directed educational institutions to increase surveillance in and around their buildings to counter the sharp increase in the sale of drugs.
An officer of the capital administration said security measures were increased in and around educational institutions after the Army Public School, Peshawar massacre in Dec 2014.
He said there was now need for increased surveillance in and around universities, colleges and schools to curb the sale of drugs to students.
School managements have been asked to install CCTV cameras, especially in the canteens, and the same directives will soon be issued to colleges and universities as well, the officer said.
School managements to install CCTV cameras in a week, same directives to be issued to colleges, universities soon
The Islamabad deputy commissioner has asked the chairman of the All Pakistan Private Schools Association to have schools install CCTV cameras in their canteens and that the directive may be treated with priority.
The DC has also asked for a compliance report to be submitted to his office immediately, the capital administration officer said.
Another senior officer said schools had been given a week to install CCTV cameras and that capital administration teams, comprising a magistrate or assistant commissioner and police officers including superintendents of police, will visit schools after the deadline to check if the directive has been implemented in letter and spirit and that action will be taken otherwise.
The school administration is to keep an eye on activities in the canteen as well as on vendors operating around schools.
“In case they spot any suspicious activity, the school management will inform the police or the capital administration,” the officer said, adding that police and capital administration have also been asked to keep an eye on the sale of cigarettes around schools.
It has been proposed that the status of canteen operators in schools should be checked and discussions in this regard are being conducted with the All Pakistan Private School Association, the officer said.
He added that a strategy is being prepared for mounting surveillance at markets near educational institutions during school timings.
The officer said similar measures will soon be adopted for colleges and universities. Student volunteers will be asked to keep an eye out for suspicious activities.
A police officer said that on average, a drug peddler is arrested supplying drugs to students every two days. He said the more popular drugs are marijuana, heroin and opium and that ice and cocaine are also sold to students in elite institutions.
Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2018
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