High Commission to Combat Narcotics and Alcohols Inaugurated

Led by the Political Deputy of the Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the establishment of the Supreme Anti-Narcotics and Alcohol Commission took place at Spedar Palace earlier today.

During this event, attended by various Cabinet members of the Islamic Emirate and officials from independent organizations, Honorable Khalifa Alhaj Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Acting Minister of the Interior, highlighted that the Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Defense and other pertinent bodies, has undertaken significant anti-drug initiatives over the past three years, achieving noteworthy progress.

He emphasized that the drug issue poses a threat not only to Afghans but to humanity at large, advocating for alternative cultivation practices.

Subsequently, the Acting Minister of National Defense, Honorable Mawlawi Muhammad Yaqub Mujahid, praised the establishment of the High Commission for combating narcotics as a commendable step, expressing the readiness of the National Islamic Army to cooperate fully with relevant agencies in the fight against drugs.

Moreover, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, stressed the importance of combating not only drugs but also human trafficking and other related issues in Afghanistan. He underlined the detrimental impact of these problems on Afghan youth and the country’s international relations.

In addition, Acting Director of the Ministry of Public Health, Honorable Mawlawi Noorjalal Jalali, reported that 14,000 addicts have received treatment thus far, highlighting challenges such as budget constraints, insufficient beds, personnel shortages, and the absence of large-scale health facilities at the zonal level that hinder their efforts, calling for support from the Ministry of Public Health.

Furthermore, Acting Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Honorable Mullah Abdul Manan Omari, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock, Maulvi Chancellor Osmani, and the head of the Afghan Red Crescent Society, Sheikh Shahabuddin Dilawar, emphasized the significance of these matters during the gathering.

In his address to the attendees, Political Deputy of the State Minister, Honorable Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, underscored that the commission was established for coordinated and targeted actions against drugs and alcohol.

Mawlawi Abdul Kabir noted that since the inception of the Islamic Emirate’s rule, drug taxation, production, and trafficking in Afghanistan have significantly decreased. He pointed out that during the US and NATO occupation, Afghanistan witnessed a surge in drug production, with the country responsible for a large portion of global drug production.

Moreover, he highlighted the detrimental impact of recent natural disasters on Afghanistan’s agricultural sector, emphasizing the urgent need for assistance.

The Political Deputy of the Minister’s Department reiterated that Afghanistan’s borders, ports, and airports are currently under tight security measures, free from corruption.

Additionally, Deputy Chief of the office of counter narcotics assistant at the Ministry of Interior Mullah Abdul Haq disclosed that over the past three years, 78,000 anti-narcotics operations were conducted, leading to the arrest of 20,000 suspects. Production facilities were dismantled, 122,000 addicts were undergoing treatment, and 37,000 hectares of land were cleared of illicit crops.