(Maria Mansab)
Despite Pakistan’s efforts to combat the illegal drug trade, the number of people involved in drug trafficking grows every day. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2013 survey, there are almost 6.7 million drug users in Pakistan. Additionally, the economic impact of the illegal drug trade is tremendous, producing up to $2 billion annually.
The demographic breakdown of drug addiction portrays a stark truth, that of 78% men and 22% women. Surprisingly, this number is increasing at an alarming rate of 40,000 per year, cementing Pakistan’s place as one of the most drug-affected nations internationally.
Furthermore, UNODC 2021 report on Pakistan’s Synthetic Drugs Situation states, the majority of those affected by synthetic drug consumption are under the age of 25. The gender distribution is dominated by males, while 33% of drug users are female. Drug addiction has infiltrated educational institutions, adding a disturbing aspect to this story. Adding to the mounting concerns, smuggling instances in Pakistan have increased since Pakistan’s transit route is the busiest corridor utilized by Afghanistan for hashish and heroin smuggling reasons.
Pakistan is geographically vulnerable to drug trafficking since it shares borders with Afghanistan, the world’s largest producer of illicit opium. As per UNODC’s Drugs Monitoring Platform, opiate trafficking from Afghanistan has continued persistently since August 2021 which supplies over 80% of all opiates throughout the world. Although the authorities outlawed the growing of opium poppy in April 2022, its cultivation climbed by 32% (233,000 hectares), making the 2022 crop the third largest in Afghanistan.
The illicit drug economy has gotten more complicated, with methamphetamine production in Afghanistan expanding dramatically in recent years. Furthermore, since the cultivation prohibition was announced in April, opium prices have risen sharply. Afghan farmers’ income from opium sales has more than tripled, rising from $425 million in 2021 to $1.4 billion in 2022.
Notably, Afghanistan is well-connected to the regional and global drug markets. Drug trafficking via key routes from Afghanistan remains prevalent. Heroin and meth continue to be transported in huge quantities from Afghanistan to the world via the Balkan, Southern and Northern Route. According to International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) Annual Report 2023, India has emerged as a main opiate market, with an increasing number of trafficking occurrences and illegal opium production.
The research also highlights the influx of drugs mainly from Afghanistan, into India. The report highlights a disturbing trend: an increase in online drug trafficking and the emergence of illegal internet pharmacies. Cyber-enabled drug markets, operating on the dark web and crypto-markets, make illicit substances more accessible than ever.
Poppy agriculture in India is mostly concentrated in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, which collectively account for over 80% of the country’s total land area. Between 2017 and 2023, poppy production in Manipur expanded to 15,400 acres of hilly land, according to data from the state’s special anti-drugs unit Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB).
According to S.N. Pradhan, Director-General of India’s Narcotics Control Bureau, drug trafficking from Afghanistan takes place via established smuggling routes through Punjab (often employing drones) or by sea to India’s west coast. Mundra and Kandla ports in Gujarat are the most well-known drug trafficking hubs in India under the hands of BJP.
Narco-terrorism offers terrorist groups a viable and long-term source of funding. According to the International Narcotics Control Board’s (INCB) Annual Report 2023, drug trafficking proceeds are increasingly being used to fund terrorism and armed groups. In May 2024, Pakistani law enforcement agencies discovered tight links and coordination between militant groups (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Lashkar-i-Islam (LI)) and narcotics smugglers. In addition, since 2018, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has arrested 340 foreign nationals, including 184 Afghans, for drug trafficking.
Pakistan has established anti-drug trafficking legislation, outlawing the use and trading of narcotic substances. Pakistan has maintained poppy-free status since 2001, and Pakistan’s anti-narcotics strategy for 2019, serves as a guiding force in preventing the multifaceted problem of drug trafficking. The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) was formed in 2010 to maximize the efficiency of the national anti-narcotics program. The forum now has 32 Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) in Pakistan to counter the growing threat of narco-terrorism in the country.
Combating the scourge of illicit drug abuse and narco-terrorism in Pakistan necessitates a comprehensive national approach including all stakeholders, from the government to lEAs and civil society organizations. In this changing context, a consistent strategy is critical. The nation is at a crossroads and must work together to counter the growing menace of drug trafficking and Narco-terrorism. It is time to confront this foreboding shadow and pave the path for a brighter, drug-free future.
The columnist is an MPhil scholar from Quaid-e-Azam University and a freelance writer. She can be reached at mariamansab@ir.qau.edu.pk
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