MEA for two-way assault on Afghan drugs

The Indian minister said that in order to control drug trafficking, the warlords in Afghanistan had to be curbed, if not eliminated. He noted that drug trafficking and terrorism were interlinked as drug money was being used for terrorism.

In his speech on Wednesday, he stressed on the need to provide alternative livelihood to poppy growers in Afghanistan. ‘‘One of the most destructive legacies of warlordism in Afghanistan is the spread of poppy cultivation. The deadly crop is available again to finance terrorism in Afghanistan, with ominous consequences for the country and the whole world,” he said.

He pointed out India had pledged $650 million for Afghanistan’s reconstruction. He also praised the role of President Hamid Karzai in dealing with the drug menace.