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Afghanistan sees significant drop in opium cultivation: BBC

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The BBC reported on Tuesday that an investigation by the media outlet has found a marked decrease in poppy cultivation across Afghanistan this year.

The BBC reported that it traveled in Afghanistan - and used satellite analysis - to examine the effects of a decree issued in April 2022 by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada that the cultivation of poppies, from which opium, the key ingredient for the drug heroin can be extracted, was strictly prohibited.

The news outlet stated that IEA leaders appear to have been more successful cracking down on cultivation than anyone ever has.

“We found a huge fall in poppy growth in major opium-growing provinces, with one expert saying annual cultivation could be 80% down on last year. Less-profitable wheat crops have supplanted poppies in fields - and many farmers say they are suffering financially,” the report stated.

Provinces visited by the BBC included Nangarhar, Kandahar and Helmand. Studies of satellite images were also done.

"It is likely that cultivation will be less than 20% of what it was in 2022. The scale of the reduction will be unprecedented," said David Mansfield, a leading expert on Afghanistan's drugs trade, who is working with Alcis - a UK firm which specializes in satellite analysis.

Alcis's analysis shows that poppy cultivation in Helmand has reduced by more than 99%. "The high resolution imagery of Helmand province shows that poppy cultivation is down to less than 1,000 hectares when it was 129,000 hectares the previous year," said David Mansfield.

Zabiullah Mujahid, the IEA’s spokesman, called on the international community to help Afghans who are facing losses.

"We know that people are very poor and they are suffering. But opium's harm outweighed its benefits. Four million of our people from a population of 37 million were suffering from drug addiction. That is a big number," he said. "As far as alternative sources of livelihood go, we want the international community to help Afghans who are facing losses."

He rejected assertions by the UN, the US and other governments that opium was a major source of income for the IEA when they were fighting against Western forces and the previous Afghan regime.

The BBC asked how can they expect international organizations to help, when the IEA has jeopardized their operations and funding by banning women from working for all NGOs.

"The international community should not link humanitarian issues with political matters," Mujahid replied. "Opium isn't just harming Afghanistan, the whole world is affected by it. If the world is saved from this big evil then it is only fair that Afghan people receive help in return."

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EU Parliament condemns governments that uphold IEA by normalizing relations

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The European Union Parliament on Thursday in an adopted resolution on the human rights situation in Afghanistan condemned the countries that uphold the Islamic Emirate by normalizing relations.

EU Parliament also criticized the new law of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice announced recently by the Islamic Emirate.

EU has also demanded new sanctions against the IEA.

The resolution stated: “MEPs want the EU to support the recognition of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity and call for Afghanistan’s de facto authorities to be held accountable, through the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation and the establishment of a UN Independent Investigative Mechanism.”

The resolution, however, urges the EU and donor states to increase humanitarian aid and funding to support basic needs, livelihoods and Afghan civil society.

The resolution was adopted by 565 votes in favor, 8 against and 43 abstentions.

In the meantime, IEA’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said that the imposition of sanctions and pressure by some countries on the caretaker government has failed as in the past and the Afghan government wants positive interaction with all countries of the world.

“The European Union is experiencing the failed ways that they have already taken this path and have not gotten results,” said Mujahid.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan considers positive interaction as the only solution to all problems,” he added.

Earlier, the UN Security Council also expressed serious concern about the implementation of IEA's Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law in a meeting regarding the situation in Afghanistan.

IEA, however, regarding the criticisms of the implementation of vice and virtue said that this law was compiled based on Islamic Sharia and considered opposing it as a contradiction with Islamic Sharia.

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IEA tells religious scholars to avoid talks on controversial topics

The statement said that “those scholars who incite disputes, promote superstitions, and use inappropriate words in the media” should not be invited to events.

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The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on Friday called on scholars to avoid discussing controversial topics that cause agitation among the ordinary people.

A statement issued by the office of the Prime Minister states that scholars should avoid discussing “rare” issues that could cause misguidance among some and that ordinary people cannot understand.

The statement added that "some of the strange issues whose occurrence is not common should not be expressed in mosques and public gatherings, because the enemies of Islam make fun of such issues."

IEA also called on preachers and teachers to avoid publishing "specialized, complex and detailed academic and sufi topics in the media" because they are "special" and for "special audiences".

The statement said that "those scholars who incite disputes, promote superstitions, and use inappropriate words in the media" should not be invited to events.

“Islamic Emirate does not allow anyone to create discord, division, strife, and misguidance and it will take serious actions to prevent them,” the statement said.

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Pakistani minister calls for increased foreign aid for Afghan refugees

He emphasized the need for optimal utilization of resources to effectively achieve the objectives of the Commissionorate of Afghan Refugees.

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Pakistan's Minister for States and Frontier Regions, Kashmir Affairs, and Gilgit Baltistan, Amir Muqam, has called on the international community to increase funding and support for Afghan refugees.

Speaking at a meeting held at the office of the Commissioner of Afghan Refugees in Karachi, Muqam said that Afghan refugees' needs are growing and require substantial resources.

He emphasized the need for optimal utilization of resources to effectively achieve the objectives of the Commissionorate of Afghan Refugees.

“We look forward to continuing our collaboration to ensure the safety and dignity of refugees within our borders,” Muqam stated.

Pakistan hosts 1.45 million registered Afghan refugees.

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