Taliban bans cultivation of narcotics and the violator will be treated according to Sharia
April 4, 2022, 8:23 am

Taliban bans cultivation of narcotics and the violator will be treated according to Sharia

Taliban announced on Sunday 03-04-2022 a ban on the cultivation of narcotics in Afghanistan, the world's biggest opium producer (File photo: Pixabay)

The Asharq Al-Awsat reported, the Taliban announced on Sunday a ban on the cultivation of narcotics in Afghanistan, the world's biggest opium producer.

According to an order from the Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada: "As per the decree of the supreme leader of the Emirate of Afghanistan, all Afghans are informed that from now on, cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited across the country."

The order, announced at a news conference by the Ministry of Interior in Kabul, said: "If anyone violates the decree, the crop will be destroyed immediately and the violator will be treated according to the Sharia law."

The order said the production, use or transportation of other narcotics was also banned.

Local souq in Afghanistan (File photo: Pixabay)

Drug control has been one major demand of the international community of the group, which took over the country in August and is seeking formal international recognition in order to wind back sanctions that are severely hampering banking, business and development.

The Taliban banned poppy growing towards the end of their last rule in 2000 as they sought international legitimacy, but faced a popular backlash and later mostly changed their stance, according to experts.

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Farmers and Taliban members told Reuters, Afghanistan's opium production - which the United Nations estimated was worth $1.4 billion at its height in 2017 - has increased in recent months.

The country's dire economic situation has prompted residents of southeastern provinces to grow the illicit crop that could bring them faster and higher returns than legal crops such as wheat.

Taliban sources told Reuters they were anticipating tough resistance from some elements within the group against the ban on poppy and that there had been a surge in the number of farmers cultivating poppy in recent months.

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A farmer in Helmand who spoke on condition of anonymity said that in recent weeks prices of poppy had already more than doubled on rumors the Taliban would ban its cultivation. But he added that he needed to grow poppy to support his family.

He said: "Other crops are just not profitable."

Source: aawsat

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.