Afghanistan Times
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AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: Secretary of Khost provincial council on Sunday claimed that drug smuggling and dealing have mounted in the southeastern province, particularly among youth; however the provincial counternarcotics director expressed vice versa remarks in this regard.
Janmir Zazai told a press conference in Khost city that drug smuggling and use of it has reached its peak in the province.
He said key factors that push youth to use drugs are joblessness and poor economy therefore the government should create widened job bank for the youth to overcome this problem. He added that use of drugs is increasing day-by-day in parts of the province. “Hashish and alcoholic drinks are common drugs used by Khost youth,” he said.
The counternarcotics provincial director, Mir Mangal Thaniwal, told the event that substantial progress has been made in their mission in past eight years as they have succeeded to treat more than 7,000 out of 37,000 drug addicts.
He confirmed that use and smuggling of drugs still exist in the province but said that poppy cultivation has decreased to zero level in Khost. He also said they have prevented drugs production and processing at much extent.
He called on security agencies to fulfill their responsibility in preventing drug dealing and production in the province.
On the same occasion, Khost police chief, Mohammad Ghairat, said they have taken concrete measures to overcome the evil phenomenon.
He said they will leave no stone unturned to arrest drug dealers, seize drugs and prevent use of it.
Despite struggles of the then and now governments to overcome poppy cultivation and drug smuggling, the two have remained main problems for the country in past decade. Experts believe that widened job bank should be created for the country’s young generation, which constitute the largest population in Afghanistan.
