Karachi Police Launch Anti-Drug Policy for Schools and Universities

Karachi’s South Zone police have prepared a new anti-drug policy with the cooperation of educational institutions, aiming to curb narcotics use and trafficking around schools, colleges and universities. The initiative was announced on Monday as authorities warned that student exposure to drugs had become a growing concern in the city’s academic environment.

The policy has been developed in consultation with the heads of 22 universities and schools, marking a coordinated effort between law enforcement and education managers. Police officials say the plan is designed to prevent drug suppliers and criminal networks from gaining access to campuses and student communities.

South DIG Syed Asad Raza said the policy is built around prevention, early identification, parental involvement, rehabilitation and institutional responsibility. He described the approach as a long-term response intended not only to enforce the law but also to protect students from addiction and related social harm.

Under the policy, educational institutions will form anti-drug committees that include school or university heads, teachers, parents and police representatives. These committees are expected to help monitor risks, report suspicious activity and coordinate awareness efforts before drug abuse becomes harder to control.

The plan also calls for seminars and awareness campaigns to educate students about the physical, psychological, social and legal consequences of narcotics use. Authorities believe that stronger awareness inside campuses can help reduce demand, while police action outside campuses can target supply chains and peddlers.

A major proposal under the policy is to involve parents or legal guardians at the time of admission or readmission. They may be asked to sign a drug-prevention responsibility declaration, allowing institutions to conduct reasonable and lawful drug-screening measures where required.

Police have already set up a Campus Security and Substance Abuse Watch in South district, including female police officers, to strengthen monitoring around educational institutions. According to the South DIG, 20 of 158 private schools, eight of 22 private colleges and four of nine private universities in the district are currently under surveillance.

The policy comes against the backdrop of wider concerns over narcotics networks operating in Karachi and the vulnerability of young people in urban educational settings. Last year, a 50-member special watch force was established in the South Zone to address drug use and trafficking near campuses, showing that the issue had already reached the level of sustained police attention.

All senior superintendents of police have now been instructed to send progress reports every two weeks, covering enforcement actions, inspections, awareness activities, cases registered and challenges faced during the campaign. The next test will be whether the policy can move beyond surveillance and produce measurable results without disrupting educational life or violating student rights.