KABUL: A new analytical report says opium poppy cultivation has expanded in Pakistan’s Balochistan and Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan provinces following Afghanistan’s ban on poppy cultivation in 2022.
The Eurasia Review reported that more than 9,000 hectares of land in the Balochistan region have been devoted to poppy cultivation.
Citing international drug-control experts, the report said the areas have emerged as major opium-producing centres globally.
The development comes after the Islamic Emirate banned poppy cultivation and drug production in Afghanistan following its return to power. International reports have said poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has declined sharply since the ban was implemented, reaching levels close to zero.