Shazia Bhat
“The nature of war is constant change”- Sun Tzu
After petroleum and arms, the drug trade is considered to be one of the largest businesses in the World. The main proponents of drug addiction are heroin, opium, cocaine, marijuana etc. Drug addiction, commonly called as substance use disorder (SUD) is a psychological disorder that directly affects a person’s neuro-biology and leads to the inability to control the use of any legal or illegal drug. According to National Institutes of Health (NIH), addiction is defined as a long term, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking, continued use despite detrimental consequences, and long lasting changes in the brain. Kashmir, in the recent years has become a drug abuse hotspot in the country. According to the latest census, 63% of the Valley’s male residents are under the age of 30 and 70% are below the age of 35. This bulge of youth is mostly unemployed (twice the national average). It is however not attributable to the employment opportunities, but to the large scale drug abuse misleading them to darkness. A nexus of cross border politics and blood money is the deep rooted cause of such drug abuse and social degradation in the Valley. Almost as shocking is the link between drug abuse among the youth and subversion/ terrorism in the Valley. Narco-terrorism is emerging as one of the biggest challenges in the area. Using drugs as a major financing tool in Kashmir, not only the youth are falling into an abyss but also the social fabric if the people have become weak. A youth in the Valley who has been a victim of such drug abuse and social degradation, is nothing less than a ripe target for subversion.
History of Drug Abuse in Kashmir. A study conducted by United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) states that in Kashmir Division there are a total of 70,000 drug addicts including 4,000 women. Also, another recent survey reveals that approximately 70% students in the valley are drug addicts. 90 % of these abusers belong to the age between 17 to 35 years. Over the years the drug abuse pattern has touched new horizons which have become an alarming situation in the valley. Young age group has taken on to alternative cheaper means of drug abuse that includes nail polish, whitener, shoe polish etc. Also Charas has become a social norm in taqyas or mehfils. Other substances include codeine phosphate, brown sugar and prescription drugs like alprax. According to International Bureau of Narcotics (IBN), the transit route of drugs in the Valley is due to its geographical location termed as the Golden Crescent (comprising Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran). The most common narcotics that flow through the Golden Crescent is heroin followed by opium. Post 1990s, after the increase in terrorism and violence, the number of addicts in the Valley have increased proportionally. The two main militancy inflicted areas Sopore and South Kashmir are also the worst hit drug abused areas. Prolonged militancy has been fuelled by drug usage and the illicit supply chain by Pakistan. Social activists in the region believe that it is a big underground narcotic nexus that targets youth and children. The big players have been identified by various think tanks and they mostly point towards the targeted influx of narcotics across the Line of Control from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Forensic reports of apprehended criminals/terrorists have shown a striking correlation with drugs obtained from POK. Also infiltration into the valley is another means of drug influx in the area. Recently, on 19 Jun 2021, a joint operation by J&K Police, 3 RAJPUT and 53 Bn BSF had busted a narco-terror module in Bandi, Uri. The officers learnt that the said arms/ammunition & contraband substance (Heroin) was received from across the LoC to provide aid to the terror outfits in J&K.
Role of Pakistan in Cross Border Drug Trade. In just three years, Kashmir has witnessed 1500% increase in drug abuse. Most of the drugs coming from Pakistan are sold in Kashmir while a portion is being transported to other states such as Punjab. The people of Kashmir are led to dig their own graves while the finance generated by Pakistan is used to employ these very youth into anti national activities. The Kashmir issue for Pakistan was never about integrating Kashmir to develop the area and live in harmony. It was always for diplomatic gains less humanity. After repeated embarrassment from India in the past conflicts, proxy war by Pakistan has now taken the lowest of standards; to incapacitate the innocent youth of their dreams/ aspirations and join terrorism. Ideas of the failures of government, unemployment and poverty and Hindu-Muslim polarity are fed into the minds of the youth to generate distrust for the nation.
The Golden Crescent: Challenges to India’s National Security. Though drug abuse prevail
