FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): Security officials claim they have seized 65 trucks ferrying illegally extracted azure in northeastern Badakhshan province, blaming the smuggling on influential individuals.
Local officials say azure is extracted from a mine located in Keran wa Menjan district and smuggled by trucks to Faizabad, the provincial capital.
Deputy Governor Gul Mohammad Baidar told Pajhwok Afghan News the National Security Council (NSC) last month ordered canceling the contract awarded to Lajawardin Company and stopping the extraction of azure.
KABUL (Pajhwok): The National Security Council (NSC) has directed local officials in northeastern Badakhshan province to move to Kabul for taxation the 64 trucks they had seized ferrying illegally extracted azure.
Badakhshan officials on Sunday said they had seized trucks carrying azure worth 1 billion afs, blaming the smuggling attempt on some influential persons.
The Presidential Palace said the decision came at the NSC meeting chaired by President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday evening.
KABUL (Pajhwok): Central Panjsher province has enormous gemstone reserves, but official’s apathy and illegal extraction has put the national wealth at risk, Pajhwok reliably learnt on Tuesday. Mine and Petroleum Department officials allege most of the mining activity was done in violation of rules and regulations.
According to M&P Department officials, bulk of the mineral is extracted illegally. Abdul Bari Rahimi, director of the department, told Pajhwok Afghan News so far no company had been granted the contract to extract minerals in the northeastern province.
KABUL/FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): President Hamid Karzai has assigned a delegation to investigate reports about illegal extractions at a key azure mine in northeastern Badakhshanprovince, his office said on Monday, two days after the Taliban claimed capturing the mine.
On Sunday, local officials said some illegal armed individuals had occupied a portion of the azure mine in KeranwaMenjan district after a clash with security forces.
KABUL (PAN): The smuggling of precious and semi-precious stones from Afghanistan earns Pakistan about $350 million annually, Minister of Mines Wahidullah Shahrani informed lawmakers on Sunday.
The Afghan government, on the other hand, received annual revenue of $300,000 from precious stones, the minister told the Meshrano Jirga, or upper house of parliament.
JALALABAD (PAN): Precious and semi-precious stones are being illegally excavated and traded in eastern Nuristan province in the absence of government’s writ, an official complained on Wednesday.
Eng. AshiqullahHamkar, the Nuristan mines department chief, said huge precious stones deposits existed in every district that could strengthen the country’s economy, if legally excavated, the government established its writ and maintained order in areas surrounding the mines.
KABUL (PAN): Afghanistan receives $1.5 million in revenue per year from the extraction of precious stones, while those who sell them in Pakistan earn $500 million, the mines minister said on Wednesday.
Wahidullah Shahrani told the lower house that nearly 4,000 people were involved in the industry. He said the country earned $1.5 million in tax.
FAIZABAD (PAN): Lapis lazuli is being blasted out of mines in northeastern Badakhshan province, causing damage to the semi-precious stones and mines, officials said on Monday.
Lapis, locally known as Lajward, is found in deep caches in the Kirono Marjan district of the remote province.
However some locals and influential figures having been extracting the stones arbitrarily, said Haji Muhammad Akbar Khalid, an official at the Inspection department of the Ministry of Mines.
