Waking up to drug menace, clerics launch awareness campaign in Kashmir

Srinagar:  Growing drug menace and Covid-19 safety protocols dominate Friday sermons in the Kashmir valley.

While Wakf Board affiliated mosques and shrines are presently sensitizing people on drug abuse, clerics of other mosques too have started to discuss social evils during Friday sermons.

“Drug addiction is posing a threat to the future generation and the number of addicts is increasing in Kashmir. We have already started spreading messages against the menace during Friday sermons. We will continue to sensitize people against drug menace and other social evils. All come to listen to Friday sermons and this is a good platform to create awareness,” Wakf Board chief executive officer Mufti Muhammad Farid-ud-Din told The Kashmir Monitor.

He said they were also urging people to adhere to Covid safety protocols. “As the second wave of Covid is posing a threat, the Maulvis of Wakf affiliated mosques are also giving sermons on maintaining Covid SoPs like wearing of masks,” he said.

Even as the Wakf Board CEO said they had started delivering sermons on drug abuse after directions from Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Pandurang K Pole earlier this month.

Maulvi Sajad Ahmad Wani, Imam of Masjid Saboor Baba Sahib at Nowpora Safakadal, said he had started delivering sermons against the abuse at the insistence of local residents.

“I had started receiving lots of complaints from residents that at a nearby marriage hall, people have been found drinking, gambling, and consuming drugs. Small children too were found getting addicted to drug abuse. Therefore, I started talking about this menace during Friday sermons. I was especially moved by an incident narrated by a mother that her son had hit her with a cup after consuming drugs,” he said.

“Now, I have also started giving ‘bayaan’ on drug abuse after Isha prayers.I have noticed that people from adjoining areas too come to listen to the ‘bayaan’,” he added.