Taliban urged to eradicate narcotics, halt supply

KABUL (Pajhwok): Tens of drug addicts who spend their days and nights on roadsides in Kabul City have asked the Taliban to pay attention to their condition and eradicate all types of narcotics from society.

After regime change, drug addicts have asked the Taliban to bring change in their lives as well by eradicating drugs so they could free themselves from addiction and live honorable life.

According of official information nearly three million people in the country are addicted to different type of illicit substances.

Qaseem, one of the drug addicts who stays under the Kot-e-Sangi Bridge in Kabul City, said: “From the past five years I take drug, I started from opium and hashish and currently take Shisha too, I live an unfortunate life on roadsides and in the streets.”

Qaseem stopped taking drugs three times in the past five years said due to easy access to drugs he could not stopped himself and returned to addiction.

Mohammad Ismael, another drug addict who sat close to Qaseem, said: “I take drug from the past 20 years. I went to rehabilitation three to four times. The last time when I rehabilitated I went to Turkey when returned back to Kabul again I returned to addiction.”

It is very easy to find drug, some people who are drug addict sell them in mini packets to others.

Mohammad Asif Roshan, another drug addict who take drug from the past 15 years, said he lost his wife and son due to his addiction adding that his wife was in her father house.

He asked the Taliban to stop the supply of drugs and sent addicts to rehabilitation centres.

Taliban Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid in his first press conference pledged to eradicate drug production in the country and asked international community to help Afghanistan in fight against narcotics.

nh