ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s growing drug abuse crisis requires urgent, evidence-based prevention strategies and stronger collaboration among government institutions, civil society and international partners, experts said during a high-level roundtable held in Islamabad on Tuesday.

The discussion, organised by the Karim Khan Afridi Welfare Foundation (KKAWF) in partnership with Serena Hotel Islamabad, brought together policymakers, law enforcement officials, health experts and representatives of the Turkish Green Crescent Society (Yesilay) to assess the country’s evolving drug challenges and explore practical prevention measures.

Speaking at the event, KKAWF Chief Executive Officer Cristina von Sperling Afridi warned that drug use has reached unprecedented levels worldwide, with an estimated 331 million people using drugs in 2024—equivalent to 6.2% of the global population aged 15 to 64, compared with 5.2% a decade earlier.

She said the rapid spread of increasingly potent synthetic drugs and the emergence of hundreds of new psychoactive substances pose growing risks, particularly for young people.

“In 2024, authorities identified 755 new psychoactive substances, including 118 reported for the first time, highlighting the changing nature of illicit drug markets,” she said.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Mehmet Gulluoglu, Secretary General of the International Federation of Green Crescent and Vice President of the Turkish Green Crescent Society (Yesilay), said the organisation was working to strengthen cooperation with Pakistani institutions and establish an office in the country.

He described KKAWF as an important partner and said expanding Yesilay’s presence in Pakistan would support efforts to combat the growing drug problem through awareness, prevention and rehabilitation initiatives.

The roundtable was moderated by senior journalist and television anchor Syed Talat Hussain, with participants discussing international best practices for protecting children and young people from substance abuse while strengthening prevention programmes across educational institutions and communities.

Among those participating were Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, Chairperson of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (via video link), Joint Secretary Akhlaque Qureshi from the Ministry of Narcotics Control, senior officials of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), police representatives, the National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) and other stakeholders.

Participants expressed concern over statistics highlighting the scale of Pakistan’s drug challenge. Citing ANF data, speakers said nearly 17 million Pakistanis aged 18 to 30 were drug users in 2025. They also referred to previous research indicating that 53% of university students had reported drug use in a 2022 study and that narcotics had affected one in every four households in Karachi.

The participants stressed that prevention efforts should begin early through schools, universities and community-based awareness programmes, supported by stronger coordination between public institutions, civil society organisations and international partners.

The event concluded with a call for sustained investment in evidence-based drug prevention policies, public education campaigns and youth-focused interventions to reduce substance abuse and protect future generations.

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