RASC News Agency: The Taliban have auctioned 4,000 carats of emeralds from Panjshir to domestic traders. According to a report by Taliban-run national television, the total value of these emeralds is estimated at $124,000. The report indicates that the emeralds sold by the Taliban were extracted from four mines in Panjshir province.
The Taliban have stated that these emeralds were sold to Afghanistani traders. However, many citizens have criticized the lack of transparency surrounding the extraction and auctioning of the country’s mineral resources by the Taliban. They argue that these mines are national assets and should be used to benefit the Afghanistani people. Additionally, there is criticism regarding the bidding process for mining contracts, with claims that Taliban members frequently award these contracts to companies affiliated with them or their family members.
Citizens also express concerns that the Taliban’s mining operations lack transparency, raising doubts about whether the revenue generated is being used for the public good. Some believe that the funds from the emerald sales have been misappropriated by Taliban leaders, with some of the proceeds used by the group’s military units in Panjshir. The Taliban have demonstrated little accountability for public resources, treating them as their own property.
They have claimed, “We have conquered Afghanistan; now we have the right to do as we please.” Notably, a Taliban official in Herat recently declared, “The pistachio forests are my property and a jihadist entitlement.”
