Afghanistan's ban on poppy cultivation leads to rise in meth production: ANF director

ISLAMABAD: The ban imposed by Afghanistan’s interim government on poppy cultivation was a calculated business move that has contributed to a rise in the production and use of methamphetamine, commonly known as ice or crystal meth, said Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Director Brigadier Syed Imran Ali.

Briefing members of the Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF), which met under the convenorship of MNA and YPF President Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, the ANF director said the Taliban announced a ban on poppy cultivation in April 2022 but allowed a two-month grace period to clear existing stocks. He described the move as “deceptive,” noting that the Taliban did not destroy the stored opium.

Brigadier Ali said the reduction in poppy cultivation led to a surge in the production of synthetic drugs, adding that supplies of methamphetamine remained largely unaffected by the ban. He said Afghanistan produces over 80 percent of the world’s opiates, with around 40 percent trafficked through the southern route. Pakistan, located along this route, has consequently become both a transit and victim state, with the Makran coast emerging as a major staging point.

He informed the forum that in 2024 there was a 19 percent increase in poppy cultivation, along with a 30 percent rise in production shifting toward north eastern regions. He added that globally around 316 million people use drugs. The Taliban’s ban, coupled with drought conditions, has reduced opium production in Afghanistan, but shifting demand and supply dynamics could push cultivation into neighbouring countries.

The ANF director emphasized the need for a unified regional strategy to address the evolving drug situation originating from Afghanistan. He also briefed the forum on ongoing efforts to curb drug abuse and trafficking in Pakistan.

He also briefed YPF about on ongoing efforts to curb drug abuse and trafficking across the country. On the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, awareness campaigns are being conducted in educational institutions to prevent drug use. The scope of these campaigns has been expanded and extended to schools he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026