Afghan Delegation Cancels Jirga On Torkham Border Reopening Over Participant Dispute

Opium production has sharply declined following the Taliban’s ban, but UNODC warns that the skyrocketing prices continue to benefit major drug traffickers.

In a report released on 12 March, the UN highlighted a sharp drop in heroin and opium trafficking. Drug seizures have fallen by about 50 percent since 2021. However, despite the crackdown, Afghanistan’s opium stockpiles remain high. By the end of 2022, reserves were estimated at 13,200 tons, enough to sustain global demand until 2027.

Ghada Waly, Executive Director of UNODC, warned that rising opium prices and large stockpiles continue to fuel drug trafficking. She said the trade is highly profitable for organised crime and contributes to regional and global instability.

The report estimated that before the decline in cultivation, Afghanistan’s opium reserves were worth between $4.6 billion and $5.9 billion. This accounted for 23 to 29 percent of the country’s GDP in 2023. While these reserves helped cushion Afghanistan’s economy after the Taliban’s return to power, the UNODC found that only 30 percent of Afghan farmers had small to medium-sized reserves in 2022, suggesting widespread financial hardship.

The UN urged a coordinated response to target trafficking networks while promoting economic alternatives for farmers. It also warned that the ongoing opium shortage could lead to a shift towards synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which pose even greater health risks.

In a statement, the EU warned that Afghanistan’s human rights and humanitarian crisis continues to worsen. It stressed that women and girls are the most affected by the Taliban’s policies.

EU member states expressed deep concern over the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan. They reaffirmed their commitment to funding the UNHCR to support Afghan refugees and displaced persons in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran.

The EU called for ensuring Afghan refugees have access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. It also pledged support for security measures, including identity document extensions for Afghans.

The EU urged UNHCR to oppose the deportation of undocumented Afghan refugees from Pakistan and Iran. It emphasised the need for regional strategies to assess Afghanistan’s situation and provide sustainable solutions for returnees.

The EU called for an inclusive humanitarian response and stronger efforts to support Afghan returnees through life-saving assistance and resilience-building programmes.

The Irish Mission to the United Nations reaffirmed Ireland’s commitment to supporting the rights of Afghan women and girls. On Wednesday, the mission posted on X that Carroll met with Afghan women’s rights activists to discuss the ongoing abuses under Taliban rule.

The post did not provide further details but stressed Ireland’s continued support for Afghan women. Images from the meeting showed Habiba Sarabi, former governor of Bamiyan, alongside several Afghan women’s rights activists.

Carroll’s condemnation comes as international organisations report that the Taliban has issued over 80 decrees restricting women’s rights since returning to power.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid recently claimed that Afghan women enjoy full physical and psychological security. He insisted that their fundamental rights are protected under Islamic Sharia and Afghan traditions.

However, human rights activists reject these claims. They argue that Afghanistan under Taliban rule is facing “gender apartheid”. Women have been systematically deprived of basic rights, including education, employment, and public participation.

Activists and rights groups have repeatedly called for the reversal of these restrictions, condemning them as a violation of fundamental human rights.

On Wednesday, Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, met with Yue Xiaoyong, China’s Special Representative for Afghanistan in Islamabad. They discussed regional security and geopolitical developments.

Sadiq Khan stated on social media platform X that both sides are worried about the presence of these militant groups in Afghanistan. He added that they agreed to hold trilateral and multilateral meetings on Afghanistan.

Although China does not officially recognise the Taliban, it maintains close political and economic ties with the group. However, Beijing remains concerned about separatist Uyghur militants operating from Afghanistan.

China’s UN ambassador previously warned that the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) poses a direct security threat. The Taliban has assured China that Afghanistan will not be used as a base for Uyghur separatist activities.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of sheltering TTP fighters and has urged the group to prevent cross-border terrorist activities. Recently, Pakistan’s UN representative stated that the Taliban has failed to control ISIS-Khorasan, which has become a major security challenge for its rule.

Mohammad Agha Hakim, the Taliban’s governor in Panjshir, welcomed the proposal and expressed readiness to cooperate.

In a statement, the Taliban’s Information and Culture Directorate reported that the group sold 15,552 carats of emeralds from Panjshir’s mines on Tuesday, generating $328,950 in revenue. The statement added that Indian gemstone traders have shown interest in Afghanistan’s investment opportunities under Taliban rule.

For over three years, the Taliban has regularly auctioned Panjshir emeralds. However, a recent survey among Panjshir residents revealed that 90 percent of respondents believe the Taliban is exploiting the province’s mines without any profits benefiting locals.

This marks the first time the Taliban has disclosed an investment plan from Indian businessmen in Panjshir’s mining sector.

India is strengthening ties with the Taliban. It has accepted some Taliban diplomats and plans to hand over Afghanistan’s embassy in Delhi to the group’s representatives.