Connect with us

Latest News

Drug users in Afghanistan tops to 3 million

Published

on

Last Updated on: October 25, 2022

DRAG - 12-05-2015-PASHTO-SOT.avi_snapshot_00.33_[2015.05.12_18.33.36]

The recent research by US foreign ministry indicates that the number of drug users in Afghanistan reach to 3 million.

Not only is Afghanistan the global leader in opium production, but Afghans are now the leading consumers of their own drugs. The number of Afghan drug addicts now stands at nearly three million, up from less than 500,000 just two years ago. One Afghan health official describes the drug scourge as a “tsunami for our country”.

The survey was conducted in rural areas of 24 provinces of the country and shows that about 1.4 million people use drugs daily and in additional 1.6 million sporadically use drugs in Afghanistan.

With NATO troops pulling out and local law enforcement agencies ill-equipped and underfunded, production looks set to increase even further. And with the Taliban andal-Qaeda funded by the drug trade, fears are rising that further instability could wreak more havoc on this war-torn nation.

Drug use inside Afghanistan has spiked, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. About 1.3 million Afghan adults were regular drug users in 2012, up from 1 million in 2009; regular opium users grew to 230,000 in 2009 from 130,000 in 2005. The population of Afghanistan is just under 32 million.

Beyond Afghanistan’s borders, about three-quarters of the world’s illicit opium products originates from the country, which sees its poppy cultivation concentrated almost entirely in the country’s southern and western provinces.

Afghan authorities are struggling to control the resurgence in poppy farming that feeds the habits of addicts worldwide.

In 2013, coalition and Afghan forces seized 41,000kg of opium, while Afghans produced 5.5m kilograms of it. Overall operations are down 17% since 2011, with opium seizures down 57% and heroin seizures down 77%. As well, much of the country’s drug trafficking is invisible or inaccessible to the Afghan forces the US mentors and funds.

In another report by Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR) Afghanistan is housing the equivalent of 400,000 football fields worth of opium fields, despite the United States having spent billions in taxpayer funds to combat the growth of illicit narcotics.

Security in Afghanistan also continues to deteriorate, making it more difficult for inspectors to provide oversight on the projects receiving U.S. funding.

The explosion in opiate production, unaffected by the $7.5bn spent by the US since 2002 to combat it, puts “the entire US and donor investment in the reconstruction of Afghanistan at risk,” special inspector general John Sopko told a Senate panel in January.

Reported by Wahid Nawesa

Advertisement

Latest News

Islamabad mosque attack is the result of Pakistan’s policy of nurturing Daesh: Mujahid

Published

on

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, says the recent attack on a mosque in Islamabad was the consequence of Pakistan’s longstanding policy of “nurturing Daesh.”

The attack, carried out over a week ago, killed 31 people and injured 170 others.

In an interview with Iran Radio, Mujahid stated: “Daesh is an enemy like a snake; if you raise it in your sleeve, it will eventually bite you.”

He argued that Pakistan’s instrumental use of Daesh for “covert and intelligence-driven objectives” harms not only the people of Pakistan but also has negative repercussions for the people of Afghanistan.

Mujahid once again rejected allegations that the Islamic Emirate supports Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He emphasized that no unauthorized armed individual is allowed to operate inside Afghanistan. According to him, the Islamic Emirate had expressed readiness to facilitate the return of “Waziristani migrants,” but Pakistan declined the offer. Instead, at Pakistan’s request, these families were relocated from areas near the Durand Line to other parts of Afghanistan.

Mujahid added that crossing closures have harmed traders in both countries, though he claimed Pakistan has suffered more. He said the crossings will not be reopened unless Pakistan provides a “guarantee” that it will not repeatedly close them due to political considerations.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Defense minister urges the Afghan people to move past divisions and focus on unity

The minister also called on Afghan business leaders to support the poor and displaced during the upcoming month of Ramazan, urging them to allocate their Zakat to vulnerable citizens.

Published

on

Afghanistan’s Defense Minister, Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid, emphasized the importance of leaving past conflicts behind and setting aside divisions in order to prevent future internal strife.

Speaking on Sunday at a ceremony commemorating the 37th anniversary of the defeat and withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan, Mujahid warned that a desire for revenge could threaten the stability of the current system.

He stated, “Those who seek power today are no longer even remembered in graves. If you think of the future, think for the people and the nation, and leave a legacy that future generations can be proud of, like our past heroes.”

He underscored that true merit is not determined by language, ethnicity, or position, but by piety and integrity.

The minister also called on Afghan business leaders to support the poor and displaced during the upcoming month of Ramazan, urging them to allocate their Zakat to vulnerable citizens.

“My special message to businessmen is: do not forget your people, and always help them,” Mujahid said.

Highlighting the importance of public cooperation in security, Mujahid added, “Afghanistan today enjoys exceptional security. Citizens must work with security forces to maintain stability. Some countries do not want Afghanistan to be secure; they see their own security in our instability and wish to prosper at the expense of our nation.”

Addressing neighboring countries and the international community, Mujahid affirmed, “Afghanistan is an independent country. We assure all countries that Afghanistan has no threat or bad intentions for you and we will not allow our soil to be used against neighboring countries and we have been able to contain threats against other countries and in this regard, we have full ability and do not need anyone’s help and cooperation.

“We have one request from countries not to create problems for us and not to make excuses, we are ready for any kind of dialogue, but based on mutual respect and national interests, we are ready to negotiate and we will not accept anyone’s orders in this regard, and if someone makes excuses, our message is clear: this approach benefits neither you nor the Afghan people.”

He further stated that even countries that previously invaded or occupied Afghanistan are invited to build relations, but always based on mutual interest and respect. He called for the establishment of a “fresh page” for positive and constructive relations.

Meanwhile, Abdul Salam Hanafi, Administrative Deputy of the Prime Minister’s Office, said that the Afghan nation has never accepted foreign occupation. He said this day in Afghanistan’s history was unforgettable and a source of national pride.

He added that under the Islamic Emirate, drug trafficking and cultivation have been banned, families of martyrs receive designated support, and all orphans are cared for without discrimination, with approximately 13–14 billion Afghanis allocated for their welfare.

Hanafi also emphasized that drug addiction among youth was fueled by foreign powers, while its treatment is now managed by the Islamic Emirate.

Hanafi concluded by urging civil servants to treat the Afghan people with compassion, remain humble in office, and utilize all available resources to preserve the Islamic system.

Separately, Noor Muhammad Saqib, Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs, highlighted the need for constant preparedness against threats, stating that Afghans should not rely solely on past victories over powerful nations but remain vigilant against any potential dangers in the future.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Tajikistan: Recent attacks from Afghanistan aimed at damaging our relations with China

Published

on

Habibullah Wahidzada, Tajikistan’s Prosecutor General, says the recent attacks launched from Afghan territory into the country’s border regions were intended to undermine Dushanbe’s relations with Beijing. He confirmed that five Chinese nationals were killed in these incidents.

Wahidzada told a press briefing that the latest border incident in the Shamsuddin Shohin and Darvoz districts point to deliberate attempts by criminal groups to destabilize the region.

“Chinese citizens are engaged in road construction. Who benefits from killing them? This clearly shows that certain individuals and criminal groups do not want peace or are seeking to harm our relations with China,” he said.

According to Wahidzada, the attacks on Chinese workers along the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border are being investigated as a criminal case, and authorities have determined that Tajik citizens were not involved in the killings.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has also stated that its assessments indicate the attacks were carried out by groups aiming to fuel instability and mistrust in the region. Kabul stressed that it will not allow the current atmosphere of trust or its relations with Tajikistan to be undermined.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2025 Ariana News. All rights reserved!