One of the principle challenges is opium cultivation and drug- trafficking. More than any other country, Afghan people suffer largely as drug addicts have crossed a million and many more are added on regular basis. Years of counter-narcotic struggle has not given the intended results. One of the measures that Afghan government has tried has been anti-narcotic regional mobilization. Several times, trilateral meetings have been held in Kabul over combating drug-trafficking among Tehran, Islamabad and Kabul officials.

All these three countries are the principle victims of opium cultivation, processing and drug-trafficking. Delegates of these three countries counted about their respective effort and resolution to control trafficking, but there has not been anything to stoke optimism. More than millions of people are addicted in these countries, and Afghanistan is entirely blamed for the phenomenon.

There is no doubt that Afghanistan is on top list of opium producers, but all countries, including our neighbors, can be blamed. Opium is not the only drug that takes lives of thousands of people; rather there are chemical drugs which are far more dangerous.

But, here is the question: why years of counter-narcotic efforts have not ended into intended results? There were signs that poppy cultivation decreased in Afghanistan, but the recent data shows that decline in poppy cultivation was not the result of Kabul government and its international allies counter-narcotic struggle, instead was due to price-fluctuation.

Many maintain that drug trafficking and opium cultivation is providing fuels for Taliban-led insurgencies, not doubt. They are right. But all issues are not only concluded to opium cultivation. Narcotic, in general, is one of the factors which provide fuel for vicious establishment of Taliban and its al-Qaeda ally, however, the major one.

Perhaps, elimination of narcotics might not cause the drying out of Taliban roots in Afghan soil, but it certainly would be a major financial blow to militants' empty budget box. It also should be noted down that a safe and peaceful Afghanistan will remain an illusion if opium production is not completely eradicated.

This vicious phenomenon is not just fuelling militancy in the country. It does huge vice to Afghan people and Afghanistan. Many times, I really become amazed how some mistakes remain as constant indignity to the skirt of some that cannot be removed easily: And how something can have the potential to undermine all historic pride of an individual or even a nation.

And more unfortunate, how the invisible hands are yielding and accumulating giant profits from an undignified toiling of some one else? The international "attitude court" is not able to identify those invisible actors and rule against that miser committer of the action.

Presently, we are facing similar situation. I am not really trying to vindicate the activities of those people who are engaged in cultivating and growing opium. What I am trying to say is "poppy cultivation" actually gives no profit to miser Afghan farmers. Just go to suburban areas of Helmand Province, and witness how much the life condition have changed.

These regions are soils which have set the country as the first largest producer of opium. But the life condition is pathetic. People here are wrangling with life and death. Their biggest desire is a filled-stomach of food for one day. They hardly try to provide the essential goods for their family members, like clothing, shelter and food, but unfortunately they are not able to do so. But, meanwhile, global Media is pointing fingers towards Afghan citizens, everywhere they go, a separate body check-up is held for them. How terrible!

I am also in view that strategy of Afghan government and international community has been totally inefficient, in comparison to amounts of cash they pumped to provinces like Helmand and struggles they made. there are actually four measures that whether completely were out of strategic framework of government for holding an anti-poppy campaign or less efforts made to get them succeed. To end cultivation, we need to take measures which would help in lessening and eliminating markets for supply of narcotics as well as seal off the route through which drugs are exported.

No doubt, demand would always be there and we cannot do any thing with that. What Afghan government and its international allies could do during past years was to engage neighboring countries through diplomatic bargaining or pressures. A joint effort by neighboring countries, from where trafficking is carried out can undermine drug production.

A major portion of trafficking is made through borders of Iran and Pakistan. Pakistan itself has become famous as weak state, and it is in need of assistance of international community. Iran has a large border with Afghanistan.

I do not forget once an Iranian official was complaining about measures of Afghan government regarding border control. He was saying that larger portion of Afghan border was actually had even no an individual police to oversee.

I accept the allegation and assume it right. But something should be noticed by our neighboring brothers; Afghan government is established only few years ago and does not have the potential to hold all responsibilities. Tehran itself spends huge some of money on dealing with drug trafficking, and addiction has become a dangerous phenomenon that has threatened the society there too, like Afghanistan.

But the measure is wrongful. What Iranian security forces are doing is hanging, executing, persecuting and back-breaking financial penalty for those who are found guilty of carrying only a gram of narcotic. As the experience shows, the measures only defamed the country and ranked top on execution, but actually could not control drug use.

Unfortunately, the regime is only intensifying those measures and bringing the execution into staggering number. Hanging is not going to help. And all data regarding level of crime showcase that it does not differ in two countries with similar condition but different in case of capital punishment.

The best way to control opium cultivation and drug trafficking is to believe strongly that drugs are lethal for all and they should be erased at any cost. Trust-based relation should grow within security agencies of these countries. In such situation, it would be easy as well as possible to bring down traffickers which necessarily can end to elimination of opium cultivation.