KARACHI: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) National Goodwill Ambassador Shehzad Roy on Tuesday performed at Youth Offenders Industrial School (YOIS), Central Prison Karachi.
Attended by senior officials from Ministry of Narcotics Control, Foreign Affairs, Health, Police, Judiciary, Prison, Home Department Sindh and the diplomatic community, Shehzad Roy was introduced to the media in his new role as UNODC Pakistan goodwill ambassador.
UNODC representative Ceser Guedes said that while we were discussing to hold the event with Roy, he said that he would like to have the event with the inmates of Youth Offenders Industrial School at Central Prison Karachi rather than having it in any hotel. He said, “I should be performing between them rather than performing for them somewhere else”.
Roy would be promoting UNODC’s work in the areas of Criminal Justice and Drug Demand Reduction by emphasising positive values during his visits to schools, colleges, prisons, and rehabilitation centres. He would also raise awareness of the work that UNODC was doing in Pakistan and highlight the need to curb drug abuse and associated crimes in the margins of UNODC’s mandate.
He was expected to take part in a wide range of activities, such as the marking the World Drug Day, Anti-Corruption Day, Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling, supporting prison and police reforms, raising awareness and advocating gender-responsive services for drug abusers, and promoting knowledge of drug-related and HIV/AIDS issues.
“It is disheartening to see children imprisoned for petty crimes or drugs ruining the lives of young people. If I can help one child out of prison or convince just one boy or girl to turn away from drugs, I will feel proud to have made a difference,” Shehzad Roy said after accepting his two-year assignment.
Speaking on his appointment, Roy said, “I have been following UNODC’s work even before joining them as a goodwill ambassador. Their work is commendable in the fields of criminal justice, drug demand reduction and HIV/AIDS prevention. These things are close to my heart especially when children are concerned, and I pledge to give my best in respect to my new job.”
During his term, Roy would speak out on criminal justice and drug demand reduction, visit UNODC projects, educational institutions and rehabilitation centres, and raise awareness on the important work conducted on the international level.
