Taliban bans drug cultivation, including lucrative opium

By Charlotte Greenfield and Jibran Ahmad

KABUL/PESHAWAR (Reuters) – The Taliban introduced on Sunday a ban on the cultivation of narcotics in Afghanistan, the world’s greatest opium producer.

“As per the decree of the supreme chief of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, all Afghans are knowledgeable that any more, cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited throughout the nation,” based on an order from the Taliban’s supreme chief Haibatullah Akhundzada.

“If anybody violates the decree, the crop will probably be destroyed instantly and the violator will probably be handled based on the Sharia regulation,” the order, introduced at a information convention by the Ministry of Inside in Kabul, stated.

The order stated the manufacturing, use or transportation of different narcotics was additionally banned.

Drug management has been one main demand of the worldwide neighborhood of the Islamist group, which took over the nation in August and is looking for formal worldwide recognition with a view to wind again sanctions which can be severely hampering banking, enterprise and growth.

The Taliban banned poppy rising in the direction of the tip of their final rule in 2000 as they sought worldwide legitimacy, however confronted a preferred backlash and later principally modified their stance, based on consultants.

Afghanistan’s opium manufacturing – which the United Nations estimated was value $1.4 billion at its top in 2017 – has elevated in current months, farmers and Taliban members instructed Reuters.

The nation’s dire financial scenario has prompted residents of south-eastern provinces to develop the illicit crop that would carry them quicker and better returns than authorized crops equivalent to wheat.

Taliban sources instructed Reuters they have been anticipating powerful resistance from some parts throughout the group in opposition to the ban on poppy and that there had been a surge within the variety of farmers cultivating poppy in current months.

A farmer in Helmand who spoke on situation of anonymity stated that in current weeks costs of poppy had already greater than doubled on rumours the Taliban would ban its cultivation. However he added that he wanted to develop poppy to help his household.

“Different crops are simply not worthwhile,” he stated.

(Reporting by Kabul newsroom and Jibran Ahmad in Peshawar; Modifying by Jacqueline Wong)