RASC News Agency: Residents of Panjshir have accused the Taliban of plundering the province’s mineral wealth, now allegedly with the involvement of Indian businessmen. The Taliban’s Directorate of Information and Culture in Panjshir announced on Wednesday, March 12, that Indian traders had participated in a bidding process for Panjshir’s emeralds and expressed interest in mining operations. According to the statement, Indian investors seek to collaborate with the Taliban in the extraction and trade of Panjshir’s emeralds.
The Taliban-appointed governor of Panjshir, Mohammad Agha Hakim, reportedly welcomed their proposal and expressed readiness for cooperation. On Tuesday, March 11, 15,552 carats of emeralds were auctioned for $328,950, according to the Taliban’s Information and Culture Directorate in Panjshir. The Taliban further claimed that Devi Yaj Vasundhi, an Indian businessman, had expressed enthusiasm for “investment opportunities” in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
For the past three years, the Taliban have actively extracted and auctioned Panjshir’s emeralds, often excluding local participation. Residents insist that the Taliban are systematically looting the province’s mines while denying the local population any involvement in the extraction process.
