By Charlotte Greenfield and Jibran Ahmad
KABUL/PESHAWAR (Reuters) – The Taliban introduced on Sunday a ban on the cultivation of narcotics in Afghanistan, the world’s greatest opium producer.
“As per the decree of the supreme chief of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, all Afghans are knowledgeable that any more, cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited throughout the nation,” in line with an order from the Taliban’s supreme chief Haibatullah Akhundzada.
“If anybody violates the decree, the crop shall be destroyed instantly and the violator shall be handled in line with the Sharia regulation,” the order, introduced at a information convention by the Ministry of Inside in Kabul, stated.
The order stated the manufacturing, use or transportation of different narcotics was additionally banned.
Drug management has been one main demand of the worldwide group of the Islamist group, which took over the nation in August and is looking for formal worldwide recognition so as to wind again sanctions which are severely hampering banking, enterprise and growth.
The Taliban banned poppy rising in direction of the top of their final rule in 2000 as they sought worldwide legitimacy, however confronted a preferred backlash and later principally modified their stance, in line with specialists.
Afghanistan’s opium manufacturing – which the United Nations estimated was value $1.four billion at its peak in 2017 – has elevated in current months, farmers and Taliban members advised Reuters.
The nation’s dire financial state of affairs has prompted residents of south-eastern provinces to develop the illicit crop that would carry them quicker and better returns than authorized crops reminiscent of wheat.
Taliban sources advised Reuters they have been anticipating powerful resistance from some parts throughout the group towards the ban on poppy and that there had been a surge within the variety of farmers cultivating poppy in current months.
A farmer in Helmand who spoke on situation of anonymity stated that in current weeks costs of poppy had already greater than doubled on rumours the Taliban would ban its cultivation. However he added that he wanted to develop poppy to assist his household.
“Different crops are simply not worthwhile,” he stated.
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