Hoshiarpur, Feb. 25 -- Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria said on Tuesday that certain foreign forces were aiding Pakistan to smuggle drugs and weapons into Punjab across the border to destabilise the state and harm the youth. Kataria claimed that Pakistan alone did not have the capacity to continuously push large consignments of drugs and arms across the border, indicating possible involvement of larger foreign forces. He said drones were being used to smuggle narcotics and weapons to disturb peace in the state. He was addressing a gathering during the second leg of the "People's walk against drugs", an anti-drug awareness march in the city organised under the aegis of the Punjab Lit Foundation. Launched in 2023 by noted author and former Punjab state information commissioner Khushwant Singh, this initiative has grown into a major civil society movement against drug abuse. This year's theme, "Mothers against drugs," strategically empowers mothers as the first line of defense, serving as a flagship programme that has sensitised thousands across Punjab through community and school outreach. Khushwant Singh said the governor's participation had given a boost to the anti-drug campaign and made it a mass movement. "The walk is our resolve to keep the momentum of a civil society dialogue against drugs and the new generation in the coming years will surely invest more in health and sports than fall prey to drugs," he said. Sanna Kaushal, co-founder of the Punjab Lit Foundation, stated that the large participation of mothers and students in the walk underscores the growing community efforts to fight drugs. During the event, the governor released a book titled 'Raising drug-free children', a practical guide for parents. The governor said that hostile elements were attempting to target the younger generation, but India's security forces were consistently foiling such attempts. He added that strong counter-measures, including anti-drone systems, are being implemented to curb illegal cross-border activities. He said that drug abuse did not destroy individuals but entire families and communities. Urging people to unite in the fight against drugs, he appealed to citizens to draw inspiration from the sacrifices of the Sikh Gurus and national heroes and fulfil the responsibilities towards society. He stressed that educational institutions must be made drug-free zones and youth be guided toward the right path to safeguard the state's future. Referring to the Punjab government's phased campaign, "Yudh Nashian Virudh," he said educational institutions, religious and social bodies, panchayats, and citizens must work collectively to ensure its success. The anti-drug march commenced from DAV College of Education and witnessed participation from university vice-chancellors, school and college heads, NGOs, religious and social organisations, and prominent citizens. The march passed through key city markets before concluding at the college campus, where participants pledged to support a drug-free Punjab. Congress Member of Parliament from Chandigarh Manish Tewari and former BJP MP Avinash Rai Khanna also joined the walk. Tewari emphasised that combating drug menace is a shared "corrective responsibility". Later, the governor held a meeting with village defence committee members and emphasised strengthening village-level security and awareness to curb drug trafficking. He urged citizens to inform the police about drug trafficking or any other suspicious activity in their areas, stating that informers' identity would be kept confidential....