The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Friday directed the provincial education department to conduct drug tests of all male and female students studying in educational institutions across the province.

A divisional bench of the BHC comprising Justice Jamal Mandokhail and Justice Nazeer Ahmed Langove passed the order on an application of a citizen against the increasing number of student addicts in educational institutions in Balochistan.

The court ordered the secretary education schools and secretary education colleges to conduct drug tests of students phase wise. If any student is found to be an addict, proper action should be taken against him/her, the court directed the government.

During the hearing, the court observed that it was a shameful state of affairs that students were falling prey to the curse of narcotics in educational institutions in Balochistan.

"Students are our future and they must be protected from this curse," Justice Jamal Mandokhail remarked during the hearing.

The bench ordered the anti-narcotics force, police and other concerned departments to take strict action against drug peddlers and smugglers. Except for parents, irrelevant persons should not be allowed near educational institutions, it said. The court directed the Balochistan chief secretary to hold monthly meetings in this regard.

The hearing of the case was adjourned till June 22 this year.