Taliban Sells Over 2,800 Carats of Panjshir Emeralds for Nearly Two Million Afghanis

In a recent instance of resource sales without regard for sustainable development, the Taliban administration has auctioned off more than 2,800 carats of emerald from Panjshir province, fetching over 1.9 million Afghanis. The auction was held yesterday in Panjshir.

Saifuddin Laton, spokesperson for the Panjshir governor, stated that the emeralds were extracted from mines located in the province’s districts and sold to domestic traders dealing in precious and semi-precious stones. Laton claimed the bidding process was conducted transparently, with the presence of a delegation from the Mines Protection Committee.

However, critics argue that the sale of raw gemstones without evaluating domestic processing capabilities not only results in the loss of potential added value but also paves the way for the squandering of the country’s natural wealth. This comes as the Taliban administration has repeatedly prioritized immediate extraction and sale of resources over long-term investment.

Panjshir is one of Afghanistan’s provinces known for its rich emerald reserves and is regarded as a natural treasure trove. Nonetheless, mismanagement of these resources in recent years and a lack of transparency in the use of revenues from such sales have raised concerns over the plundering of national wealth.