PESHAWAR: A staggering Rs2.6 trillion worth of hashish is being produced annually in just three districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — Khyber, Orakzai, and Kurram — according to a survey conducted by the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Peshawar.
The report reveals that 295 square kilometers (72,000 acres) of land in these areas are dedicated to the cultivation of hashish and cannabis, yielding 3.5 million kilograms (3,500 tons) of hashish every year.
The scale of the industry is so vast that Rs1 billion worth of drugs are smuggled out of Khyber district alone on a daily basis, painting a grim picture of an unchecked narcotics trade that has entrenched itself as a parallel economy in the region.
Excise Department’s Symbolic Crackdown
While the Excise Department has intensified its efforts to demonstrate action, critics question the effectiveness of these measures.
In a recent operation, the Excise Police Station in Peshawar Region seized drugs worth over Rs35 million using just one vehicle. Additionally, Wahid Shah was arrested for attempting to smuggle 204 kilograms of hashish.
However, these isolated successes raise a pressing concern: Why has the supply chain remained intact? Despite periodic seizures and arrests, the trade continues to thrive, with the big players — the so-called “big crocodiles” — remaining untouched.
Journalist Irfan Khan, who highlighted the findings of the University of Peshawar’s survey, underscored the urgency of addressing the root of the problem.
“The numbers speak for themselves,” Khan stated. “If the industry is worth Rs2.6 trillion, and Rs1 billion is smuggled daily from just one district, then the question is not just about enforcement, but about who is protecting this trade.”
The survey’s revelations and the persistent flow of narcotics suggest a deep-rooted nexus that has allowed the hashish industry to flourish despite the occasional crackdowns.
Observers argue that without targeting the kingpins and their networks, the cycle of production and smuggling will remain unbroken.
