Afghanistan: Anti-drug drive hits dead end

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Efforts of the Afghan government to halve poppy cultivation and trafficking has hit a dead end, having unleashed catastrophic mayhem in the vulnerable society of Afghanistan, said Acting Deputy Minister of Information and Cultural (MoIC), Mustafa Saeedi, on Monday. Mustafa Saeedi told a workshop on the occasion that the deficiency of concerned officials in reining in drug haul and alcohol abuse has inflicted a terrible impact on the youth. Ever-galloping violence, poverty, weak family system and illegal immigration are of also the major reasons that propel the naive youth to resort to the malicious practice of drug addiction. The Afghan government has not been able to deliver on this highly important issue and as it is apparent international community’s counternarcotic focus has drained as no substantial achievement concerning elimination of drug cultivation is visible. The world’s consumption of the illicit drugs and intoxicatives is rapidly increasing and as far as Afghanistan is the most abundant source of narcotics, notorious drug rings and mafias use every opportunity to export narcotics from the country, he said. He criticized the government policies for eliminating opium cultivation and trafficking and said that the Ministry of Counter-Narcotics has not shown any interest for cooperation with the MoIC regarding current anti-drug policies. Mr. Saeedi warned of appalling consequences of drug abuse such as rise in crimes, murder, robberies and kidnappings if the government fails to contain drug haul. Chief of Afghanistan Youth National and Social Organization, Mohammad Shfiq Popal, said that social dilemmas derived by drug smuggling are huge and the seminar is aimed at raising public awareness regarding detriments of drugs and ways to eliminate drug abuse. Mrs. Shabnam a Kabul resident said that many drug rendezvouses are in Kabul city and act as sources of infesting the young generation. She urged profound strategies be implemented to eliminate this social menace. Impunity of drug lords from conviction has caused a surge in drug trafficking and increased drug abuse in the Kabul city.