Afghan province officials vow to follow official guidelines on combating drugs.
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Text of report by Afghan Jowzjan Province television on 15 December The governor of Jowzjan Province, Roz Mohammad Nur, chaired an informative meeting in the Jowzjan Administration hall today. The aim of the meeting was to describe the instructions and decisions on the campaign against narcotics made at the national seminar in Kabul. Bakhtar Information Agency reports that the meeting opened with the recitation of some verses from the holy Koran. It was attended by government officials, the military commissar, heads of the 14 districts of Jowzjan Province, PRT [Provincial Reconstruction Team] officials and the chiefs of Sheberghan city wards. Afterwards, Governor of Jowzjan Province Roz Mohammad Nur described the agenda of and the decisions and instructions made at the national counter-narcotics seminar in Kabul. He emphasized the need to speed up the struggle against drug trafficking, smuggling and production. The Jowzjan Province governor said: I participated in a two-day anti-drug seminar held in Kabul a few days ago. In addition to Hamed Karzai, the first elected president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, a number of cabinet members delivered speeches about the harmful effects of narcotics on society from the viewpoints of Islam. They also spoke of the need to combat this negative phenomenon. They highlighted the future duties of those who attended the seminar in combating the cultivation, trafficking and smuggling of drugs. The Jowzjan Province governor added: As the government made a firm decision to prevent narcotis cultivation, everyone of us is responsible for putting into practice the government guidelines in this field and for doing our best to prevent drugs cultivation in any way. We should not let this lower the prestige of our country in the world because poppy cultivation is not for the benefit of our farmers. Drug cultivation and trafficking reinforces the remnants of terrorism. Apart from waging struggle against narcotics, the heads of every district and members of our society are responsible for telling people about the disadvantages and the harmful effects of narcotics. They should urge people to cultivate useful cereals instead of narcotics. I am sure that waging struggle against narcotics will be beneficial and will have positive results in the future. Once again, I reassure you that the cultivation of poppy and other drugs in different regions in Jowzjan Province will be prevented. Just as we are spearheading the implementation of law and order in the country, we should be do the same and become an example to others with regard to poppy eradication. Later on, the commander of the Sheberghan-based PRT thanked the Jowzjan Province governor for his loyalty and effective assistance in speeding up the struggle against narcotics. He gave assurances that he would help in this field. Also, the heads of a number of districts and government officials reassured the meeting that they would carry out the instructions and decisions of on combating this negative phenomenon in each village. They will never let anyone grow drugs. The heads of districts highlighted farmers’ problems and urged government officials to pay attention to them. At the end of the meeting, Abdol Ghafor Juyan, the official in charge of National Army recruitment section in Jowzjan Province, provided some information about his work programme in recruiting eligible young men to the National Army and the conditions of recruitment and the conditions of service. He asked the heads of districts and village chiefs to cooperate with him in this field. After a number of decisions were made on combating poppy cultivation and after those who participated in the meeting received their instructions, the meeting ended. |