In the recent report released by NATO which indicated rise in insurgent's assaults during first half of 2012, NATO officials linked it to phenomenon of poppy cultivation. "The annual start of the poppy harvest period is characterized by a considerable decrease in enemy-initiated attacks usually followed by a few weeks of lower attack levels. This year's harvest started later and finished earlier in the most poppy prevalent areas of Afghanistan compared to last year," the report added.

So, it is clear that poppy cultivation and drug trafficking are the major sources of income for Taliban militants. Certainly, one of the effective ways to get Taliban kneel down is to eliminate poppy cultivation from the country. But the question is how to fight drug trafficking and poppy cultivation?

Obviously, in the case of social issues, we actually wouldn't be much successful if we deal with the issues separately and assume that elimination of one might end up into eradication of another, like fading of grass due to lack of proper irrigation. Many maintain that drug trafficking and opium cultivation is providing fuels; no 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, not the major one. Perhaps, elimination of narcotics 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 but also doing huge vice to Afghan people and Afghanistan. Many times, I really become amazed how some mistake remains 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 someone 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. In my previous articles I talked about severe and tough measures to end it and criticized flexible stance of government against those who never care about Kabul government orders.

What I am trying to say is "poppy cultivation" actually gives no profit to Afghan farmers. Just go to suburban areas of Helmand Province, and witness how much the life conditions have changed. These regions have 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 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. Meanwhile, global media is pointing fingers towards Afghan citizens, everywhere they go, a separate body check-up is held for them, which is 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 the eliminating the markets for supply of narcotics. No doubt, demand would always be there and we cannot do anything 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 the sky-rocketing price of opium which entices farmers to grow it.

A major portion of trafficking is made through borders of Iran and Pakistan. Pakistan itself has become famous as a result of drug trafficking, and it is in need of assistance of international community. But thanks to the wind fall wealth of oil and gas, which has given Islamic Republic of Iran a higher hand to deal with challenges properly. 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 without even 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 sum 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, execution, persecution 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, Therefore, I am sure hanging is not going to bring down addiction in Iran.
The amount of money it spends for controlling drug-circulation inside the country, if is used for sealing the border is far more effective. Moreover, it will discourage traffickers inside Afghanistan, and ultimately will decrease the level of cultivation in Afghanistan, too.