Rehman Malik says militants generates funds from narcotics’ business

In quite a shocking statement, Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that around 70 per cent of Taliban’s income comes from managing and taxing the illicit drug business.

The minister said this while chairing the concluding session of a two-day Regional Ministerial Conference entitled, ‘Counter narcotics, enhancing cooperation for effective coordinated and sustainable narcotics control’.

In his view, the world is facing US $58 billion narcotics trade and nexus between opium producers, mafia and Taliban has had a detrimental impact on security of both Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said. There is a need to have a long term, collaborative and holistic strategy rather than sporadic destruction of poppy fields, he stated.

Malik stated that Pakistan was fighting against narco-terrorism despite having meager resources, adding that the nation had suffered losses both in term of human lives and material.  Pakistan has launched concerted efforts against both the evils (drug and terrorism) simultaneously, he added.

The minister said in order to address effectively the drug problem, government of Pakistan has adopted a comprehensive strategy with its main pillars Drug Abuse Prevention and Drug Abuse Treatment & Rehabilitation. He urged that effective preventive measures adopted, including up-gradation of Drug Abuse Prevention and establishment of Resource Centre for Drug Control.

Highlighting Pakistan’s efforts to control drug trafficking, the minister said that a Drug Abuse Control Master Plan for five years (2010-2014) was prepared to reduce the health, social and economic costs associated with drug problem.

“In 2010 we contributed 10 per cent to global heroin and morphine seizure, four per cent to global opium seizure and 19 per cent to global cannabis seizure.”  He said with regards to poppy cultivation since 2001, Pakistan has once again achieved the status of Poppy Free Country for the year in 2011 owing to untiring efforts of the government.

He said that according to UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimated potential opium production increased from 4,700 tons in 2010 to 7,000 tons in 2011, reaching levels comparable to level of previous years.

In Afghanistan itself, potential opium production fell to 3,600 tons in 2010 but resurged to 5,800 tons in 2011. According to World Bank, the drug business has grown 27% of national GDP in Afghanistan.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=34957

Posted by Web Desk on Nov 14 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.