Language

Don't you have an account with Pajhwok Afghan News?

Click here to subscribe.

Narcotics finance 60pc of Afghanistan conflict: Abdullah

KABUL conflict was 60 percent financed by narcotics, asking regional countries and the global community to help Kabul eradicate poppy.

Addressing a meeting on coordination among anti-narcotics donors here, Abdullah said narcotics had direct link with organized crimes and terrorism.

Pointing to unrest in northern parts of the country, Abdullah said poppy production had increased in areas under Daesh and Taliban, thus spreading insecurity to northern Afghanistan.

“Narcotics finance 60 percent of militants’ operations in Afghanistan, it shows more attention and efforts are required to deal with the problem,” he said.

The rise in narcotics production and processing despite all programs and efforts in place to eradicate the menace was questionable, the CEO said.

Abdullah expressed concern over lack of coordination among security forces in eradicating narcotics and said government organs and ministries should cooperate with each other in creating public awareness, reducing demand and finding alternative solutions to narcotics.

He, however, said militants’ finance sources had been cut after airstrikes destroyed narcotics production and processing factories.

Including narcotics to the country’s penal code was a positive move for prevention of growing or producing drugs, but loophole remained in the law and the laws committee of the government needed to pay more attention to the issue, the CEO said.

Abdullah termed narcotics production a common and global threat and asked regional countries and the global community to cooperate with Afghanistan in eradication of narcotics.

“We as a government and a country accept our responsibilities towards people. Reforms and improving mechanisms to combat drugs are our commitment.”

The CEO thanked countries who cooperated with Kabul and asked other countries to discharge their own responsibilities towards drugs which could not be done away with without joint efforts.

Salamat Azimi, counternarcotics minister, termed drugs an ominous phenomenon, and said: “We are trying to attain cooperation of friendly countries to find an alternative to narcotics as an income source for people and reduce poppy cultivation.”

She said narcotics threatened health, economy, political stability and families and it was not a challenge for Afghanistan only, but a global problem and all countries should assist Afghanistan in curbing the problem.

mds/ma

GET IN TOUCH

SUGGEST A STORY

Pajhwok is interested in your story suggestions. Please tell us your thoughts by clicking here.

PAJHWOK MOBILE APP

Download our mobile application to get the latest updates on your mobile phone. Read more