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Taliban tap into Swat’s emeralds

LAHORE: As the NWFP government struggles to get approval for a peace deal from the centre – the Taliban in Swat have taken over operations in the valley’s emerald mines, which produce jewels of international quality and were previously controlled by the government. Located in the mountains that ring Mingora, the mines – along with the Panjshir mines in Afghanistan – hold the largest known deposits of emeralds in South Asia. BBC News has reported that the Taliban overtook operations four months ago. “It is for the benefit of the public that we have reopened the mines,” a senior Taliban commander told the BBC. “They are open to anybody who wishes to mine them as long as they follow our rules.” When fully operational, the mines yielded a quarter of a million carats of emeralds between 1978 and 1988. The last official estimate put the projected yield at about 13.2 million carats. Gemstone dealers say that most emeralds range from just under one carat to just over five. Prices range from $1,000 to more than $100,000 for a cut stone. However, workers at the site told the BBC their average daily wage was only about Rs 400 per person. “It’s still a good deal as previously all this was going to waste,” said one worker. Taliban commanders too are positive about its benefits. According to the terms of the deal, the Taliban take one-third of the yield of each set of miners. The costs are shared equally by the Taliban and the miners. The group says it is not directly involved in the operations themselves. But the rules, which include amputation for theft and strict adherence to sharia, mean only those with strong Taliban sympathies are allowed to operate. So far the government has made no move to contest the Taliban’s control of the mines. daily times monitor

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