The fragmented and polarized nature of Afghan society, which is made up of many different ethnic groups, has led to multiple domestic struggles which have also gained support from the different external powers. Afghanistan has long been used as a battleground for strategic wars by larger external powers. The current situation in Afghanistan from the security point of view has not shown any restraint and Taliban are continuously operating against the local and foreign troops with considerable successes. There is a dire need of bringing peace and running the affairs of the Afghanistan by the Unity government like any other normal country of the world through implementing good governance and advancements in different fields and delivering social justice.
Experts believe that Afghanistan’s continuing drug problem also features prominently as a concern that could affect the country’s future economic and security trajectory following the so called transition phase after the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan. Besides, it is widely expected that drug cultivation and production in Afghanistan would also increase in the coming years and its importance would also increase as a proportion of Afghanistan’s overall economy. What is unknown, however, is whether and to what extent such trends would contribute to future political instability, change perceptions of the new Afghan government’s strength, and lead to the entrenchment of illicit actors at all levels of governance. A little glance into history of Afghanistan depicts that as the Afghan government began to lose control of provinces during the Soviet invasion of 1979–80, warlords flourished along with opium production as regional commanders searched for ways to generate money to purchase weapons which later got supported by USA. In addition to Afghan war, it was alleged by the Soviets on several occasions that American CIA agents were helping smuggle opium out of Afghanistan, either into the West, in order to raise money for the Afghan resistance or into the Soviet Union in order to weaken it through drug addiction.
Results of different studies carried out to identify and resolve the poppy cultivation and related problems in Afghanistan pointed out that poppy cultivation and the opium trade had a more significant impact on the general public in Afghanistan than the impact of wheat farming and livestock trading. Afghanistan’s rugged terrain encourages local autonomy, which, in some cases, means local leadership committed to an opium economy. The terrain makes surveillance and enforcement difficult. Afghanistan’s economy has thus evolved to the point where it could become highly dependent on opium, if appropriate and timely actions are not taken. Although less than 4 percent of arable land in Afghanistan was used for opium poppy cultivation in 2006, revenue from the harvest brought in over $3 billion more than 35 percent of the country’s total Gross National Product (GNP). The past reports regarding Afghanistan’s overall economy, estimated that it was boosted by opium profits, less than 20 percent of the $3 billion in opium profits actually went to impoverished farmers, while more than 80 percent went into the pockets of Afghan’s opium traffickers and kingpins and their political connections. Even heftier profits were generated outside of Afghanistan by international drug traffickers and dealers. The production of poppy, its further refinement process and delivery through transaction points till the end points bear significant political and social dimensions bringing an ultimate damage and harm to humanity.
Involvement of political and official figures of Afghanistan in poppy cultivation, production and its trafficking is not some thing surprising. Like, many foreign countries operating in Afghanistan were aware of the fact that much of the actual business of running the one of the Afghan city of Kandahar took place out of public sight, where Ahmed Wali Karzai the younger paternal half-brother of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai was the head of all affairs. He almost operated parallel to formal government structures, through a network of political clans that used State institutions to protect and enable licit and illicit enterprises. Although the serious matter was brought into the knowledge of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, but he resisted and denied every evidence of wrongdoing, besides Ahmed Wali Karzai also dismissed the proofs terming it as politically motivated attacks by longtime rival groups in his country. It was the drug money which led to the assassination of Ahmed Wali Karzai on 12 July 2011, by his own head of security, the most trusted security guard for at least seven years namely Sardar Mohammad. The assailant was immediately killed by other bodyguards and then Sardar’s body was hanged at a city square for public view. Bush administration officials had also confirmed a number of times that Ahmed Wali Karzai was involved in drug trafficking, and had repeatedly warned President Karzai about his involvement but he never paid any heed. Hamid Karzai has once again started to regain his lost strength by gathering and reorganizing all the elements that have been supported by turning blind eye towards their illegal activities and human atrocities. His efforts seem directed towards dismantling the peace chariot led by Ashraf Ghani, who is passionately perusing the goal of bringing peace and stability in his country and beyond. However, a certain group led by the former President Hamid Karzai is hindering the peace process and creating negative perception against President Ashraf Ghani efforts, which so far have been broadly appreciated by the regional as well as international community.Ashraf Ghani had earlier mentioned that Afghanistan cannot become Congo, Botswana or Chile and it has to get its governance right in order to have proper development strategy.
Afghanistan’s economy is vastly supported by international military spending and aid since 2001.Aghanistan’s economy has been boosted by foreign spending. The World Bank had reported that about 97 percent of Afghanistan’s gross domestic product was derived from spending linked to foreign forces and the donor community. But the down slide in economy can be arrested and more sustainable levels of growth can be achieved, provided there is political and policy stability and the government can credibly ensure security against the Taliban as well as other factions jockeying for control as foreign forces depart. Without a secure political environment, stabilizing the economy would be nearly impossible. It could exacerbate the security problem by creating more grievances against the government and reducing its legitimacy, while also heightening demand for illicit activities. But until that happens the lack of confidence in the State’s ability to provide security and stability will remain a major non- economic hindrance to growth. Afghan government ,in addition to its peace talks with Taliban, must also give preference to enhance it efforts against the production and smuggling of Drugs, which have dire consequences for not only Afghanistan but for the regional and international countries.
(Asad Iqbal khan)