In the aftermath of Afghanistan’s ban on opium cultivation, Pakistan has witnessed a dramatic surge in opium production, especially in the Pashtun and Baloch regions. Reportedly, the Pakistan military, particularly the ISI, is playing a key role in facilitating the drug trade. The ISI, through intermediaries, has reportedly offered lucrative deals to drug dealers, allowing them to cultivate opium across thousands of acres in Pak-occupied-Balochistan, including areas like Gulistan, Qila Abdullah, Muslim Bagh, and Makran.
This surge in drug cultivation is not just a consequence of opportunistic criminals but a calculated move by the Pak Army to maintain control over these regions. By encouraging the production of drugs, the Pak Army is effectively keeping youth addicted. The drug trade has become a tool of control, with the military profiting while the people of POB suffer from the devastating effects of addiction.
Drug Trade Thrives Under Pak Army
At the same time, the Pak Army is exploiting the rich natural resources of POB, plundering the land and forcefully occupying local resources. The people of POB, already marginalized and struggling under decades of systemic oppression, are being further pushed to the fringes as their land is leased out for drug cultivation. Reportedly, lands in these regions are being leased for exorbitant rates, with five acres going for as much as 10 lakh rupees.
The Pakistan Army’s stranglehold over POB extends beyond drug cultivation. The region’s resources—its minerals, land, and wealth—are being looted at the expense of the indigenous population. These communities, instead of benefiting from their own land, are being systematically marginalized, deprived of basic rights, and subjected to ongoing repression.
While the drug trade continues to flourish under the Pak Army’s watch, POB’s communities remain trapped in poverty and addiction, their future bleak as the military tightens its grip on their land. The Pak Army is profiting off their suffering, keeping the region destabilized, and ensuring that its resources flow into the hands of those in power.