Court orders inspection of schoolchildren’s lunch boxes for drugs

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday directed the interior ministry and Islamabad police to submit a progress report from January to September on efforts to eradicate drugs from educational institutions.

IHC Judge Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas sought the report while hearing a petition filed by a private organisation, Lucky Foundation, against drug use in schools and colleges.

During the proceedings, the court remarked that children’s lunch boxes would also have to be checked to ensure nothing harmful was being brought in from outside.

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Police presented a report covering the period from January to April 22, 2025, which stated that 255 kilograms of heroin and 126 kilograms of hashish had been recovered in different areas of Islamabad.

It said 689 cases had been registered and 709 suspects arrested for drug supply.

Interior ministry officials informed the court that an awareness campaign had been launched in schools following earlier court orders.

Justice Inaam observed that awareness campaigns alone were insufficient and stressed the need for effective monitoring.

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He added that police slogans against drugs were not enough and practical steps must be taken.

The court also ruled that it was the responsibility of police station house officers to monitor their jurisdictions, not to act only when a writ petition was filed.

Counsel for the private schools’ organisation told the court that the body had also issued directions to curb drug use in educational institutions. Later, the hearing was adjourned for two weeks.

In April, the interior ministry revealed staggering figures of Pakistan’s anti-narcotics operations in a written reply submitted to the National Assembly, reporting the seizure of 234.395 metric tons of drugs and arrest of 2,883 suspects in 2,831 operations conducted by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) during 2024-25.

The comprehensive document detailed the disposal of 655 drug-related cases, including 316 convictions and 106 acquittals, while 233 cases were closed with final orders. Authorities particularly highlighted the emerging trend of drug smuggling through courier services, with 344 such cases registered – including 174 attempts to smuggle narcotics abroad and 70 incoming shipments.