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Opinion | How instability in Afghanistan raises the global risk of narco-terrorism
- Given the continuing international freeze on Afghanistan’s economic assets and meagre financial support from erstwhile donors, an increase in the production and sale of illegal drugs is likely
- A Taliban boost for the opium trade, combined with its support to terrorist organisations like al-Qaeda, can exacerbate the challenge of narco-terrorism
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One of the hotspots of the seemingly unending conflicts, the borderlands of Afghanistan and Pakistan have become a significant link in the global chain of narcotics production. Add to this cauldron a potent mix of terrorism, extremism and radicalism, and we have a nexus of activities and events that pose a threat to both countries, and to the rest of the world.
India, because of its geographical proximity to the infamous “golden crescent” – the region comprising Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan that is the world’s largest producer of illicit opium – often finds itself reeling under the impact of narco-terrorism.
A combination of narcotics trafficking and terrorism/extremism, narco-terrorism has become a source of persistent social and legal trouble, particularly in Afghanistan and the areas near its border with Pakistan. The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August last year is only expected to make matters worse.
The former insurgent group banned poppy cultivation in April this year. However, it had outlawed the cultivation of poppy in the past for being anti-Islamic, and the policy did not hold ground for long. In fact, the illicit opium trade has been a major source of income for the group.
With the continuing international freeze on Afghanistan’s economic assets and the meagre financial support the country is receiving from its erstwhile donors, there is likely to be an uptick in the production and sale of illegal drugs. In the absence of significant international monetary support, it will not be surprising if an increasing number of Afghan farmers turn to poppy cultivation as an income source.
The gross income generated by domestic consumption, production and export of opiates in Afghanistan was estimated at between US$1.8 billion and US$2.7 billion in 2021, equivalent to between 9 and 14 per cent of gross domestic product.
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