National Conference (NC) leader and district president Ramban Sajjad Shaheen on Wednesday expressed happiness over the interest taken by the youth in sports activities particularly in the rural areas, saying this is imperative for maintaining physical fitness and keeping mind agile.

 Shaheen said sports present a unique opportunity to young boys and girls to excel and bring laurels, not only for themselves, but for the place they belong to as well. 

Moreover, it is an important aspect of life and steps need to be taken to attract young people towards healthy and positive lifestyles and keeping them away from social evils including the drug menace , he added. 

Exhorting people to unite against the drug menace and protect the youth from falling prey to this evil, Shaheen said that "society can no longer afford to lose youngsters to drugs and urged everyone to play their role in eradicating the menace". 

Speaking, while distributing sports kits to young cricketers of Panla, Maligam in Banihal in presence of party block president Pogal Shakib Ur Rehaman Runyal, Shaheen urged the people to protect the young population from falling prey to this grave evil which is assuming frightening proportions in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Given the severity of the drug menace and its impact on society, I think every one of us ought to play his/her role in eradicating this destructive evil”, he added.

Shaheen impressed upon the administration to take serious measures to nab each and every person who is responsible for the smuggling and sale of drugs in society.