Daily Times

In the whirlwind of all encompassing terrorism, our policymakers appear to have ignored — possible for a long time — a pervasive issue that appears to have taken more human lives than terrorism. The drug (narcotics) trade has become a vast business with users increasing on a daily basis. On the other hand, the perpetrators of this horrendous activity are inherently getting richer by the day. According to UN statistics, there are more than one million users of cocaine in the US. Cocaine is the most abused drug after cannabis in the world. Both of these drugs are largely produced and used in North America followed by Europe and Africa.
On the other hand, Asian societies are riddled by the plague of heroin, which is also lethal for human health. Heroin is a synthetic product of opium, which is produced in Afghanistan. Afghanistan has remained the largest opium producer in the world inflicting severe damage to its neighbouring countries through which it trades opium to Europe and the Middle East. Pakistan is one of the most affected countries due to opium production in Afghanistan. According to UN statistics, there are more than six million users of various kinds of narcotics in Pakistan and, among those, more than four million are dependent on heroin. This comprises a huge chunk of our population. Those addicted and dependent on heroin also have higher chances of dying via contagious diseases such as HIV.
There are various other drugs such as marijuana, hashish, LSD (acid) and ecstasy that are used by a large number of addicts. Among these drugs cocaine and opium have become the most lethal due to their frequent use, claiming millions of human lives. The drug economy has expanded to such an extent that, according to an estimate, if it were the economy of a state it would have been the world’s 19th largest economy. According to reliable research estimates, the global narcotics economy is a multi-billion dollar economy. In 2005, the UN estimated that the illegal drug trade is worth more than $ 320 billion. It is startling and tragic to learn that the illegal and largely hidden drug economy of Pakistan is worth more than two billion dollars. This is certainly inimical to the interests of our country.
As this illegal and inhumane business is mostly run by criminal elements and non-state actors there are huge chances — and some reliable reports — that the money is being used by global terrorist organisations. The use of drug money by Afghan terrorists is an open secret. In third world countries the drug abuse problem appears to be beyond state control because of negligence and the extreme need to resolve other issues.
With the rise of terrorism in the Middle East and a change in the operations of drug traders, Pakistan has become a main thoroughfare for opium trade around the world. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran are the countries of the ‘golden crescent’, a term that defines the epicentre of the world’s narcotic trade. The Balkan route for trade has lost importance and now Iran has become the main conduit for the global opium trade. Probably this is the reason why Iran has become the first country to have seized the largest amount of narcotics in the world.
All these statistics can be further rummaged through but the point to ponder is when governments will wake from their slumber. Except organising walks on Anti-Drug Day, we rarely find any mention by journalists or other national actors about the potential harms and damages drugs are inflicting on our country. These drugs have not only affected individuals but have degenerative tendencies to destroy the families of addicts. So overwhelmed by traditional narratives and immediate concerns, governments appear to give only marginal importance to a problem of such huge importance.
At the international level, there is even lesser attention towards this issue. Global narratives, which appear to emerge from the US, rarely discuss the multi-dimensional aspects of the drug trade. Narcotics money is being used by terrorists to get weapons and wage a two-dimensional war against humanity. Even NGOs and human rights groups appear silent or unaware of just how big the drug problem is. As most drug users are between the ages of 15 and 50 the effects of drug abuse are long term and target all segments of society. Few use drugs as something recreational but many people use them due to various factors attached to social disorientation as well as poverty. Both groups have uniform chances of becoming addicted to narcotics if they use drugs consistently.
At the global level, there is a need for determined effort to eradicate this evil so that the lives of a large number of people can be saved. Instead of organising walks on International days, a consistent effort is required. In Pakistan, however, the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) is doing a commendable service. Constrained by resources — material as well as human — it is actively pursuing its objectives and has conducted various operations to eradicate this evil. As the ANF is a small force its effectiveness appears to constrained by its size. However, surgical operations are not the only solutions to help put this practice to an end. In Pakistan, as in various third world countries, there is social stigma attached to the drug trade, so instead of only going after illegal growers and dealers, efforts are needed to change the mindset of the users of drugs. Unemployment, poverty and social disorientation are fuelling this trade by increasing demand for drugs that are duly supplied by narcotics traders. A true and determined effort is required otherwise things may get out of hand.

The writers are political analysts based in Islamabad