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Afghanistan’s mining industry never achieved its potential, despite US efforts: SIGAR
Afghanistan’s extractives industry never achieved its potential, despite years of US development efforts, a US watchdog report concluded.
The US government spent nearly $1 billion to fund critical mineral surveys, mineral exploration, regulatory reforms and capacity development for the former Afghan government, according to the report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR.
“US efforts in Afghanistan’s extractives industry presented one of the greatest opportunities for the Afghan government to generate royalty income, grow its economy, and provide meaningful employment,” the report said. “Nonetheless, multiple factors, including corruption and illegitimate and unregulated mining, hindered Afghanistan’s ability to successfully develop its extractives industry.”
For example, corruption persisted throughout US efforts to develop Afghanistan’s extractives industry and political elites, warlords, military personnel, and the police controlled many mining operations—the former Afghan government estimated that it lost $300 million in revenues annually from illegal mining, according to the report.
SIGAR said that Afghanistan’s challenges in the industry, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, the collapse of the former Afghan government, and the lack of accountability and oversight, impeded sustainable progress in the development of the country’s extractives industry.
The US government estimated the territory of Afghanistan could hold more than $1 trillion worth of mineral deposits, which could be used to generate potentially significant revenue for the Afghan government and support Afghanistan’s economic development.
SIGAR also highlighted that US agencies did not perform required oversight of the programs to develop Afghanistan’s extractives industry.
“In the 20 years of US presence, there was no developmental and infrastructural strategy or plan,” said Shabir Bashiri, an economic expert.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) meanwhile has prioritized mining in its bid to boost the country’s economy.
“There has been greater transparency, expedition and biddings in the mining sector since the Islamic Emirate took over. Efforts are ongoing for the extraction of our oil and minerals. Hopefully it will eliminate economic poverty in Afghanistan,” said Sakhi Ahmad Paiman, deputy head of Chamber of Industries and Mines.
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Afghanistan says Pakistani military post destroyed near Spin Boldak
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense says a Pakistani military post near Spin Boldak was targeted and destroyed after Pakistani forces opened fire toward Afghanistan.
Ministry spokesperson Enayatullah Khwarazmi said in a post on X that Afghan forces suffered no casualties or damage in the clash.
Khwarazmi also rejected claims made by the Pakistani side about the incident, describing them as “propaganda.”
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Mujahid: Pakistan attacking Afghanistan to evade Mecca Pact responsibilities
He warned that the Islamic Emirate would give an “appropriate response” to what he called the Pakistani military regime’s “bullying.”
Islamic Emirate spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has accused Pakistan of carrying out attacks on Afghanistan to divert attention from its domestic problems and to evade responsibilities under the “Mecca Pact.”
Speaking at a religious seminary in Kandahar, Mujahid said Pakistan was facing political and economic challenges at home and was using attacks on Afghanistan to shift public attention away from protests and its internal problems.
“Pakistan, by violating the territory of its neighboring Islamic country, wants to divert attention from its failures,” he said.
Mujahid also criticized Pakistan’s political situation, claiming that political space had been restricted and that freedoms guaranteed under the country’s laws were not being allowed.
He said Pakistan’s economic problems had also increased significantly and accused the country of seeking to distract the public from those problems by engaging in conflict with Afghanistan.
Mujahid further accused Pakistan’s military leadership of putting the Pakistani people at risk through what he described as its “false position.”
He warned that the Islamic Emirate would give an “appropriate response” to what he called the Pakistani military regime’s “bullying.”
His remarks followed Pakistani airstrikes on Kandahar, Paktia and Khost provinces on Thursday, which Afghan authorities said killed four civilians.
The strikes came three days after attacks on Kunar and Paktika provinces, in which Afghan authorities said three civilians were killed.
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Kabul rejects U.S. claim that meth seized in Pakistan was of Afghan origin
Balkhi said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has imposed an absolute ban on the production, trafficking and use of all types of narcotics in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi has rejected a U.S. claim that 463 kilograms of synthetic drugs seized in Pakistan were of Afghan origin, calling the attribution “unfounded and politically motivated.”
Balkhi said the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad should investigate the origin of the seized drugs in Pakistan rather than attributing them to Afghanistan.
“The attribution by the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad of the synthetic drugs bound for Sri Lanka and intercepted in Pakistan through joint U.S.-Pakistani efforts as ‘Afghan-origin’ is an unfounded and politically motivated allegation,” Balkhi said.
He said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has imposed an absolute ban on the production, trafficking and use of all types of narcotics in Afghanistan.
Balkhi also claimed that following the ban in Afghanistan, the cultivation, production and trafficking of narcotics have increased “on the other side of the Durand Line.”
He further argued that Afghanistan does not have the capacity to produce synthetic drugs and said crossing points along the Durand Line have been completely closed to all movement for nearly a year.
His remarks came after the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad said U.S. and Pakistani anti-narcotics authorities had seized 463 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine worth an estimated $21 million and bound for Sri Lanka.
The embassy said the operation led to multiple arrests and highlighted ongoing U.S. cooperation and training with Pakistani authorities to disrupt international drug-trafficking networks.
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