Ariana: For the first time the Chamber of Industries and Mines, as well as a center for processing and selling gem stones and minerals have been established in Badakhshan province. “Badakhshan is one of the richest provinces in the world. In the past, people knew little about Badakhshan. Badakhshan has ruby and lapis lazuli, but
Neelapu Shanti via Economic Times: The Lapis Lazuli transit corridor aims to lower trade barriers, reduce transaction costs, improved cross-border governance through harmonization, increased trade and transit and enhanced regional cooperation. The corridor will function under the framework of Transport International Routier (TIR) carnet. India provides best market for Afghanistan. If India shows interest in joining
1TV: Afghanistan’s first trade convoy is set to leave for Europe through Lapis Lazuli route on Thursday. The convoy will carry 135 tonnes of commodities. The route begins in Aqina and Turghundi ports in the Afghan provinces of Faryab and Herat and crosses Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. It involves road, rail, and maritime transport. Click
Tolo News: A suspected gem stone smuggler has said mines in Badakhshan’s Karan-o-Manjan district, especially those extracting Lapis Lazuli, are out of government’s control and are being mined illegally. The 43-year-old man said he takes them to Peshawar in Pakistan where he sells them. “If you go to Peshawar, you can see trucks full of these
Tolo News: Badakhshan’s mining and petroleum department on Wednesday raised concerns over the illegal extraction of gold and lapis lazuli by insurgents in the province. Badakhshan’s mining director Mohammad Akbar Anwari, who raised the matter, said terrorists and groups of armed men have accelerated the extraction of gold from mines in Raghistan district and lapis in
Scroll.in: A recent investigation by Global Witness, an international non-governmental organisation working on corruption, conflict and natural resources, claimed mining of the precious stone in this remote region is funding illegal armed groups and driving extremism and corruption. But mining has now come to a virtual standstill. The Afghan government has cut off transport of what
China Dialogue: For 6,500 years Afghanistan has been famous for the brilliant blue lapis lazuli, coveted by everybody from the Egyptian pharaohs to the common jewellers of today. These days mining of the precious stone is funding illegal armed groups and driving extremism and corruption in the northern province of Badakhshan, a two-year investigation by Global Witness,
Khaama Press: Afghan security forces have seized at least 65 trucks of Lapis Lazuli illegally extracted from a mine in northeastern Badakhshan province of Afghanistan. A spokesman for the Ministry of Interior Sediq Sediqi told reporters Wednesday that the police forces are doing their best to prevent the illegal extraction of Lapis Lazuli. Click here to read
Tolo News: A new investigation has revealed how Afghanistan’s multi-billion dollar lapis mines are driving corruption, conflict and extremism in the country. According to Global Witness the Taliban and other armed groups are earning up to $20 million USD dollars a year from Afghanistan’s lapis mines. In a statement issued by Global Witness it said: “As a result,