Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s foreign minister, has expressed concern over what he described as the expansion of drug cultivation and trafficking in Pakistan, saying the issue has become a new source of concern for the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban’s Interior Ministry spokesperson has directly accused Pakistan of facilitating the transportation of drugs into Afghanistan and other countries in the region.
On Tuesday, 5 Aqrab, Muttaqi spoke about counter-narcotics efforts during a meeting at the Taliban Foreign Ministry in Kabul attended by several diplomats based in the city. Without explicitly naming Pakistan, he claimed that large-scale drug cultivation and trafficking were taking place in one of Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries.
Muttaqi described the Taliban’s efforts to combat narcotics as decisive. However, he warned that the continued cultivation and trafficking of drugs in neighbouring countries could undermine the success of these efforts.
He called on the international community to pay greater attention to preventing drug cultivation in Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries. According to Muttaqi, effective border controls and cooperation among countries are essential to preventing drug smuggling.
Muttaqi also stressed that the international community should help Afghan farmers secure alternative sources of income so they can sustain their livelihoods without relying on drug cultivation.
Earlier, Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior, had also claimed that a significant proportion of drugs were being smuggled through Pakistan into Afghanistan and other Asian countries.
Pakistan has not yet issued an official response to the allegations made by Taliban officials.
Writer:Roya Stanikzai
