KABUL - President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday lamented that Afghanistan was blamed for drug menace, while some parties benefited from the lucrative narcotic trade and called for concerted global action to stem the scourge.
During a meeting in Kabul, Karzai and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) Executive Director Yury Fedotov discussed a gamut of drug-related issues -- including efforts to combat narcotic proliferation. First, the president heard a report presented by the UNODC on the situation and appreciated the office for its cooperation in fight against production and trafficking of narcotics -- terming it "essential for an effective result".

Pointing to the tremendous damage narcotics inflict on Afghanistan and its identity, Karzai stressed that drug trafficking and international terrorism were inextricably linked, and most of those involved in the trade were not Afghans.

He emphasized that political will existed to combat the social bane, but it was not possible for a single country to fight the massive menace on its own. A strong international and concerted effort was vital to effectively contain the issue, primarily by strengthening Afghan's economy so that farmers are not forced into drug cultivation, he said.

On the reduction in production in Afghanistan, Karzai said the cultivation of drug saw a dramatic drop in areas under government control. "While in areas where a relatively poor government's writ prevails with anti-government activity present, the opium still exists," he added.

UNODC chief reaffirmed his organization's continued commitment and welcomed the government's current anti-narcotics strategy as the right move, and hoped it would deliver desirable results. (Pajhwok)