Residents Express Relief: Decrease in Drug Addicts Improves Mazar-i-Sharif Atmosphere
Residents of Mazar-i-Sharif, a city in Afghanistan's Balkh province, have seen a significant decrease in the number of drug addicts within their community. This decrease has led to a safer, more comfortable environment, reducing concerns among local families. In the past, the high prevalence of addicts in public areas had caused social issues and negatively impacted local children.
Daryo Correspondent in Afghanistan writes on the changing landscape of drug addiction in Mazar-i-Sharif, a city in Afghanistan's Balkh province. The correspondent has deeply engaged with the local residents, and officials, and gathered comprehensive data, providing a vivid picture of the city's transformation and the measures being taken to combat drug addiction.
Taj Mohammad, a local merchant, highlighted the stark contrast between the current situation and the past. "Once, it was common to encounter dozens of addicts sleeping or consuming drugs in every corner. Now, such sights are rare," he said. Mohammad attributed the past addiction problem to factors such as poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, and the easy accessibility of drugs.
Effective Rehabilitation: Treatment Centers and Vocational Training Foster Positive Change
Local resident Qari Abdul Hakim praised the establishment of new treatment centers in the city. He believes this is a positive development and urges the government to continue its efforts to reduce the sale and distribution of drugs in the city. "The large number of addicts in the city created a climate of fear, particularly among women and children," said Hakim.
Security officials in Balkh report that more than 1,800 drug addicts are currently receiving treatment at these centers. Post-treatment, these individuals undergo vocational training to help them secure employment. Over the past ten months, approximately 5,000 addicts have been rehabilitated and reunited with their families.
Firm Stance Against Narcotics: Taliban Leader Issues Comprehensive Ban on Drug Trade
Haybatullah Akhundzoda, the leader of the Taliban, has issued a decree completely banning the cultivation of poppy, which is often used to produce narcotics. The decree warns that violations will result in penalties according to Sharia law, including the destruction of the offender's crops. In addition to poppies, the Taliban has banned the production, purchase, sale, import, and export of all types of drugs across Afghanistan, including alcohol, heroin, pills, and hashish.
The Anti-Narcotics Department of Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior has reiterated that growing or transporting drugs within the country is strictly forbidden. Hasibullah Ahmadi, the head of the department, affirmed the Taliban government's commitment to combating narcotics, stating that more than seven thousand suspects have been apprehended and roughly 9,000 hectares of poppy cultivation have been destroyed to date.