Combatting drug smuggling: Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan agree to bolster cooperation

 While the three countries in the region might not have complete agreement on an array of issues, if one thing that can bring Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran together is cooperation to combat drug smuggling. All the three countries agreed on Monday, November
28, to bolster cooperation to fight the menace of drug smuggling.

The decision comes amid the reports that there has been a big increase in the cultivation of illicit opium poppy in Afghanistan. Afghanistan – it is necessary to mention, provides 90 per cent of the world’s opium; something that the international community
has long struggled to put an end to — apparently to no avail.

Opium, which is used for the making of heroine, is considered to be one of the most lucrative crops in the world. Considering the fact that war-shattered Afghanistan has no infrastructure to smoothly run and boost the economy, opium – on the other hand,
has been used by the militants to help finance their violent insurgency in the country.

“Despite a decade of initiatives by the Afghans and international community, opium production is increasing,” said Yuri Fedotov, executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. This situation can’t continue.”

The opium cultivated in Afghanistan is illegally shipped through its neighbouring countries Pakistan and Iran. Although all the countries have been massively involved in overcoming this challenge under the auspices of the United Nations, the result has barely
been encouraging.

Nonetheless, their pledge to bolster joint operations against smugglers and their networks may well be a harbinger of change. The international community believes it is due to high demand that there has been significant increase in illicit opium poppy cultivation
in Afghanistan.

Iran remains its one of the biggest transit routes. “Iran is a transit route and the production of drugs in Afghanistan is on the increase,” said Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najar, who heads the country’s counter-narcotics department. The
reason is high demand.”

Not only has this smuggling affected the three countries, but also other regional countries. Mostly cultivated in the southern parts of Afghanistan where insurgency is comparatively higher, the poppy smuggling is said to have affected Russia as well which
says more than two million of its citizens are addicted to opium and heroin.

Russia has shown its frustration and asked NATO to do more to stop this production. With Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan willing to join hands to fight it, the UN hopes the organization’s efforts will help alleviate the problem.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=4979

Posted by Sajjad Hussain on Nov 28 2011. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry