Lahore: June 28, 2009. (Margaret Piara reports for PCP) With the world people the Milap Organization organized one day solidarity program with the 40 addicted and other young people on the 26th June, 2009 at the Organization’s office. The program was led by Miss Sonia Sadiq Bhutta.. Some of the mothers were present and they were crying and asking to held more of this kind of program so that their loved ones may be able to leave this habit behind. Faisal Ali said, “My father was taking drugs so as a child I was just looking at him how he was filling his cigarettes. When I grew up I too started it.” Faisal continued, “I was looking at my father that after taking the drugs he would sleep for hours. He was never beating us or my mother. He never made any noise. So I thought it is a good thing that he sleeps for a long time and don’t bother us”. Ali did not feel hesitant to the other audience, “When I got married than I tried to stop it slowly but I didn’t get a good life partner. My wife was always demanding so many things which I could not afford. She was always in a fighting mood. I had a baby girl one day she just went to her parents house and never came back. She is not even letting me go near my own daughter. So I started taking the drugs again.” Mr. Sunil Bhutta gave a little introduction of the importance of the day. He informed them that in 1987, the UN General Assembly decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse. He said that in Pakistan there are 600,000 addicted. The Pakistani Government is trying to stop all this but it will take time. It is not an over night program. He said that it is sad to hear that when these persons will tell you that when I take it I forget everything. They claim that the drugs give them life and on the other hand they say they forget about the worries and problems of life. Mobeen Sheik and Naveed Sheik both brothers were big landlords. They didn’t get good friends. They were always telling them that beer is not wine so just have it. So they can take 2, 3, bottles per day and it is just good for their health. Thirty five years old Mobeen got married and had 3 kids. But twenty four years old Naveed remained unmarried because peoolel com and go but none like him. He said, “They just love our wealth and not me. Many times we have decided to leave it but it is very hard. We went to many centers but nothing happened. Moreover both our parents are dead just because of us. But we are still in the same old boat”. One of the mothers among the audience Mrs. Rehanna Saleem said that we request to all who are present here today to pray for all these young men that they will leave this sinful and degrading life behind and just live a better one from today. I call it sinful because when they have no money than they will steal or do anything possible. Milap Director speaks to the present audience. Today celebrate the drug day. I think we should have a celebration everyday so that these people will learn something. They will come to know that how important there life is, not for them alone but for there families, Children and there dear ones. I think media is playing a great role to have some sort of program on the TV, and in the print media as well. Margaret Piara ended by saying that, “Our addicted were bit sad this time because one of there friends named Samuel Taj and a regular member of Milap for this sort of Programs, died recently. The brothers and sisters had thrown him out of the house. He just died on the roadside. So we have to arrange for his funeral. He had no parents and the other family members said they have nothing to do with him”.