The lurid reports being released by national and international media about Afghanistan bespeaks of political syndrome. Seemingly, this country is in labor for breeding greater challenges. The mounting militancy, corruption and narcotic are highly toxic to social, political and economic issues and foment trouble across the country. According to recent reports, Afghanistan is world's third largest opium producer after Myanmar and Laos and produces some 90 per cent of world's illicit opiates.

An Afghan official said that Mafia and terrorist groups are annually receiving $70 billion from narcotics in this country and Pakistani Taliban, who carry out acts of terror in Afghanistan and Pakistan, are the beneficiary of $2 billion. Meanwhile, the US-based non-profit association World Justice Project (WJP) released that Afghanistan is ranked the second-worst country in rule of law after Venezuela from 102 countries. It is an incontrovertible fact that the Mafia and the Taliban militants gain great financial supports from poppy cultivation, production and smuggling of narcotics. They muddy the water through fomenting racial tensions, abduction, violence and bloodshed to divert the government's attention from anti-narcotic campaigns. In other words, the illicit drugs, which are cultivated in our own land and used against our own people, play a key role in the militants' political life. The irony is that drugs save life – as the Taliban and Mafia are nourished to continue their political and economic existence. The counterproductive consequence of drugs for the Afghans' sworn enemy is a matter of great concern. It is really painful to think that a large number of people live under poverty line; however the militants use our land in their own interests besides playing a destructive role in the society. On the other hand, since men's natural and inalienable rights and dignity are trampled upon to a large extent, it will not be a surprise to hear that Afghanistan is the second-worst country in rule of law.

It is simply said that might makes right – the very fact is going in our society. Constitutionally, all citizens are equal in the eye of law. As a result, the Constitution of Afghanistan states in article 22 as, "Any kind of discrimination and distinction between citizens of Afghanistan shall be forbidden. The citizens of Afghanistan, man and woman, have equal rights and duties before the law." But practically, the influential individuals are hardly prosecuted despite perpetrating crimes and corruptions. Last month, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Unity Government (NUG) Abdullah Abdullah said that he was not satisfied with the performance of the government over the past few months, adding that justice was also not being implemented in the judicial system. Afghan people suffer from lawlessness and lack of justice on a large scale. For instance, nepotism and bribery is rampant in the state machineries. According to reports, current and former government officials and members of parliament had been able to appoint their relatives to key diplomatic positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

Pajhwok Afghan News released that "sons and other close relatives of government officials and members of parliament have been appointed to key posts in Afghanistan's embassies abroad, where a number of embassy staff has sought political asylum". The report also pointed to the safe use of diplomatic passports, saying a majority of the MoFA employees had been issued diplomatic passports for personal journey abroad. Around 4,650 diplomatic passports were issued illegally to the employees, who had been benefitting from privileges in foreign countries even after the expiry of their office terms. Hence, such issues are the main factors to push Afghanistan into the rank of world's second-worst country in rule of law.

In the political and social wheeling and dealing, moral values are in the state of moribund and one is hardly found to listen to the call of his conscience. As a result, both the ideologue and mercenary militants are widely involved in shedding the blood of the innocent individuals on the grounds of exercising their ideology or being paid to do so. The members of Mafia suck the people's blood and ultimately the judicial and administrative systems are deep in the quagmire of corruptions. In such hustle and bustle, the ordinary people are the sacrificial lambs who suffer mentally and physically. To counter terrorism and Mafia, it will be highly effective to debilitate them financially. Since narcotic is a strong financial source for the members of Taliban and Mafia, the role of Ministry of Counter-narcotic is paramount in this regard. Moreover, a strong determination is needed for eradication of narcotic drugs to paralyze the militants and the mercenary fighters.

In another item, the failure in counter-terrorism is strongly linked to failure in counter-narcotic strategy. Campaigning against poppy cultivation for a decade, Afghanistan still remains world's third largest opiate producer - producing the 90 per cent of world's illicit opiates. Meanwhile, it "remains very dangerous place", as the U.S. President Barack Obama has recently said, and foreign troops have implied their failure in eradicating the Taliban militants from Afghanistan. So, the parallel move of militancy and narcotic reveals this direct link and it must have been realized by the officials long ago. I believe that narcotic is the backbone of the militants and as far as it is on rise, they will not be defeated. Strategy to curb the said challenges will bear the desired fruit if the officials' put their efforts honestly and discard nepotism, favoritism and corruption.