Authorities have uncovered a significant poppy farming operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan and the neighboring border regions of Balochistan, according to media reports. This discovery has raised significant concerns about the connection between drug trafficking and terrorism in the country.
Credible sources revealed that farmers are cultivating poppy particularly in the Pastwari and Kochmina areas. The approximately 25 acres of poppy cultivation, spread across 4 to 5 patches, has yielded an estimated 500 kilograms of opium, valued at around Rs1.6 billion.
However, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government claims no such reports have surfaced, and even the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has not reported any poppy cultivation in KP’s territory. “No agency has provided us with information on this issue, but we have instructed the department to investigate the matter. It may be in the Balochistan area,” an official of the KP government stated.
Media reports indicate that at least 40 militants, including wanted terrorists named Tariq Kalachi and Habib Ur Rahman, have established hideouts in the region, with more terrorists arriving. Local sources also revealed that the terrorist faction known as the “Faizullah Ikhwani Group” is financially supporting Afghan laborers to engage in poppy cultivation..”
The online sale of opium harvested from these fields is particularly alarming. Reports suggest that these funds finance terrorist activities in Pakistan, posing a significant threat to national security.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) had confirmed a sharp decline in Afghanistan’s opium production until 2023. However, recent trends indicate a resurgence in drug cultivation, prompting traffickers and militant groups to seek alternative sources, with Pakistan’s border regions emerging as a new hub for narcotics production.
Security sources conveyed that immediate governmental intervention is imperative to curb this escalating crisis. We need to implement a comprehensive counter-narcotics strategy to dismantle these illegal operations and cut off financial resources for terrorist networks. The ANF, in collaboration with civil administration and law enforcement agencies, must conduct coordinated operations to clear affected areas and dismantle illicit networks.
“A decisive crackdown on this drug-terrorism nexus is essential not only for Pakistan’s internal security but also for regional stability. Failure to act swiftly may allow these criminal networks to strengthen their foothold and increase internal security threats for Pakistan,” an official warned.
