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A30 world news
Dialuna 4 aPRil 2022

Taliban clamp down on drugs, announce ban on poppy harvest

the previous Taliban rule Afghanistan produces more country’s GDP. The same re-
in the late 1990s when the opium than all opium-pro- port said “illicit drug supply
movement espousing a harsh ducing countries combined chains outside Afghanistan”
interpretation of Islam out- and last year was the sixth make much more.
lawed poppy production. At straight year of record opium
that time, the ban was imple- harvests. The Taliban’s ban comes as
mented countrywide within the country faces a humani-
two years, and according to During the years-long Tal- tarian crisis that spurred the
the U.N. largely helped erad- iban insurgency, the move- U.N. to ask for $4.4 billion
icate poppy production. ment reportedly made mil- last month as 95% of Afghans
lions of dollars taxing farm- do not have enough to eat.
However, after the ouster of ers and middle men to move
the Taliban in 2001, farmers their drugs outside Afghani- The ban, while hitting drug
in many parts of the country stan. Senior officials of the production houses hard, will
returned to poppy produc- U.S.-backed government likely devastate small farmers
tion. Poppies are the main also reportedly made mil- who rely on opium produc-
(AP) — Afghanistan’s rul- ning to plant their crop. source of income for millions lions on the flourishing drug tion to survive. It’s difficult
ing Taliban on Sunday an- of small farmers and day la- trade. to know how the Taliban will
nounced a ban on harvest- In desperately poor Afghani- borers who can earn upwards be able to create substitute
ing poppies, even as farm- stan the ban seems certain to of $300 a month harvesting Washington spent more than crops and financing for farm-
ers in some parts of the further impoverish its poor- them and extracting the opi- $8 billion trying to eradicate ers, at a time when interna-
country began extracting est citizens at a time when um. poppy production in Afghan- tional development money
the opium from the plant the country is in an economic istan during its nearly 20-year has stopped.
that is needed for making free fall. Today, Afghanistan is the war, which ended with the
heroin. world’s largest producer of Taliban takeover of the coun- Afghanistan’s poorest often
The decree was announced opium, despite billions of try in August. use the promise of the next
The Taliban warned farm- by Taliban spokesman Zabi- dollars spent by the interna- year’s poppy harvest to buy
ers that their crops will be hullah Mujahid at a news tional community during its Nearly 80% of heroin pro- staples such as flour, sugar,
burned and that they can be conference in the capital of 20 years in Afghanistan to duced from Afghan opium cooking oil and heating oil.
jailed if they proceed with Kabul. The order also out- eradicate the drug. In 2021, reaches Europe through
the harvest. The harvest and lawed the manufacturing of before the Taliban takeover, Central Asia and Pakistan. When the Taliban last ruled,
planting seasons vary across narcotics and the transporta- Afghanistan produced more they employed village elders
Afghanistan. In the Taliban tion, trade, export and import than 6,000 tons of opium, According to a U.N. report and mosque clerics to en-
heartland of southern Kanda- of heroin, hashish and alco- which the U.N. Office on in 2021, income from opi- force the ban. In villages that
har the harvesting has begun hol. Drugs and Crime said could ates in Afghanistan was be- ignored the ban, the Taliban
but in the east of the country potentially yield 320 tons of tween $1.8 billion and $2.7 arrested the elders, clerics
some farmers are just begin- The ban is reminiscent of pure heroin. billion, more than 7% of the and offending farmers.

Pakistan in political turmoil as leader dissolves parliament

(AP) — Pakistan’s prime tution, an interim govern- America wants “me, person- Pakistan’s main opposition
minister threw the coun- The former cricket star ment inclusive of the opposi- ally, gone ... and everything parties — a mosaic of ideolo-
try into political limbo turned conservative Islamic tion will now see the country would be forgiven.” He of- gies from leftists to the radi-
on Sunday, accusing the leader sought to justify the toward elections held within fered no concrete evidence of cally religious — have been
United States of attempt- measures by accusing the 90 days. US interference. rallying for Khan’s ouster
ing to oust him and can- United States of trying to almost since he was elected
celling a no-confidence overthrow his government. In the capital Islamabad, se- Political chaos also spread to in 2018. Then, his win was
vote he was poised to lose. His Information Minister curity forces braced for the Punjab — the country’s larg- mired in controversy and
He then ordered the Na- Fawad Chaudhry accused the worst, locking down much est province — which is set widespread accusations that
tional Assembly dissolved opposition of collusion with of the city as a defiant Khan to vote for a new chief minis- the army helped his Pakistan
so new elections can be a foreign power when he suc- called for supporters to stage ter. Khan’s favored candidate Tehreek Insaf (Justice) Party
held. cessfully filed the motion to demonstrations country- faced a tough challenge, and to victory.
the deputy speaker of parlia- wide. Giant metal containers his opponents claimed they
The moves by Imran Khan ment to throw out the vote. blocked roads and entrances had enough votes to install Asfandyar Mir, a senior ex-
appeared to trigger a consti- to the capital’s diplomatic their own ally. After a scuf- pert with the Washington-
tutional crisis: Pakistan’s Su- The opposition, which ac- enclave, as well as Parliament fle between lawmakers, the based U.S. Institute of Peace,
preme Court must rule on cuses Khan of mismanaging and other sensitive govern- provincial assembly was ad- said the military’s involve-
their legality, but it adjourned the economy, arrived in Par- ment installations. journed until April 6 without ment in the 2018 polls un-
until Monday and gave no liament ready to vote Khan any vote. dermined Khan’s legitimacy
indication when the matter out of power, and say they Khan has accused the opposi- from the outset.
would be settled. In Pakistan, have the simple majority of tion of being in cahoots with
the Muslim holy month of 172 votes in the 342-seat as- the United States to unseat
Ramadan has just begun. sembly to do so. him, saying America wants
him gone over his foreign
The dramatic episode was the Khan, who was not in Parlia- policy choices that often fa-
latest in an escalating dispute ment on Sunday, went on na- vor China and Russia. Khan
between Khan and parlia- tional television to announce has also been a strident op-
ment, after defectors within he was submitting the disso- ponent of America’s war on
his own party and a minor lution request, which Presi- terror and Pakistan’s partner-
coalition partner joined the dent Arif Alvi later executed. ship in that war with Wash-
opposition and attempted to ington.
oust him from power. It was “I ask people to prepare for
unclear on Sunday where the the next elections. Thank Khan has circulated a memo
powerful military — which God, a conspiracy to topple which he insists provides
has directly ruled Pakistan for the government has failed,” proof that Washington con-
more than half of its 75-year Khan said in his address. Ac- spired with Pakistan’s oppo-
history — stood in the fray. cording to Pakistan’s consti- sition to unseat him because