Taliban Official Claims Drug Cultivation and Trade Halted in Afghanistan
Sheikh Mohammad Qasim Khalid, Deputy Minister for Counter-Narcotics at the Taliban-run Ministry of Interior, has claimed that the cultivation, sale, and trafficking of narcotics in Afghanistan have been completely eradicated.
According to a statement issued by the ministry’s press office, the remarks were made during a meeting with Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban’s representative in Qatar. During the meeting, Khalid presented what he described as the achievements of his department in combating drug trafficking. He said that the Taliban administration had launched efforts aimed at the total elimination of drug trafficking and consumption in the country.
Shaheen also emphasized the Taliban’s commitment to combating drugs and said it is now time for the international community to cooperate by providing addiction treatment and alternative livelihoods for Afghan farmers. He claimed that the Taliban’s anti-narcotics efforts have been praised in international meetings.
However, a recent report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) indicates a resurgence in poppy cultivation in some areas of Afghanistan. The report attributes this trend to the return of refugees from neighboring countries, widespread unemployment, and deepening poverty, pushing farmers back into opium cultivation.
Despite claims by Taliban officials, international narcotics experts argue that the lack of independent monitoring and reduced media access to remote villages have made it difficult to accurately assess the situation. Analysts point out that the Taliban administration has yet to offer a comprehensive policy for sustainable livelihoods that would provide viable alternatives to poppy farming.
