UN Reports Indicate Rising Drug Trade in Pakistan and India, with Connections to Terrorism
The government is grappling with escalating challenges in addressing drug trafficking and narco-terrorism, despite ongoing efforts. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports that Pakistan has approximately 7.6 million drug users, with a significant portion under the age of 25.
The illegal drug trade in Pakistan is valued at $2 billion annually. The UN drug monitoring platform notes that opium smuggling from Afghanistan has persisted since August 2021, accounting for over 80% of global opium production.
India is also emerging as a significant market for opium, with rising incidents of drug smuggling and illicit opium production, as highlighted by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) 2023 report. Poppy cultivation in India is primarily concentrated in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
The INCB report reveals that revenues from drug trafficking are being used to finance terrorism and armed groups. In May 2024, Pakistani law enforcement agencies identified connections between militant groups and drug smugglers.
Since 2018, Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has arrested 340 foreigners for drug smuggling, including 184 Afghans. The country’s 2019 Anti-Narcotics Strategy remains a key framework in combating drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.
