Asif Mahmood
Some reports do more than inform. They unsettle. Recent disclosures made in Lahore by Mufti Abdul Rahim of Jamia Rasheed, coupled with emerging accounts on Afghanistan’s war economy, fall squarely into that category. They force the reader to pause and reflect, because beneath the familiar image of a war ravaged country lies a far more disturbing reality.
It is commonly assumed that Afghanistan’s shattered economy survives almost entirely on war related activity. Yet a closer look reveals a different and more troubling picture. Afghanistan sits atop some of the world’s most valuable mineral reserves, particularly gold and other strategic resources. Instead of becoming a foundation for reconstruction and public welfare, these resources are being converted into fuel for conflict, repression and terrorism. Recent reports indicate that large sums generated through mining are not only consolidating armed power inside Afghanistan but are also reaching militant elements involved in terrorism in Pakistan.
Developments in Badakhshan and Takhar are especially alarming. These regions possess enormous mining potential, but the priority is not public development. The emphasis is on channeling wealth into military strength. In principle, any state has the right to strengthen its defenses. What makes these reports deeply troubling is that the same money is allegedly flowing to terrorist networks responsible for bloodshed and instability in Pakistan. This is not merely an internal Afghan issue. It is a direct source of anxiety for Pakistan and a destabilizing factor for the entire region.
According to local accounts, the situation deteriorated sharply when Taliban backed forces seized control of gold mines in areas such as Chah Ab in Takhar and parts of Badakhshan. Local communities protested against dispossession from land they considered their own. The response was brutal. Taliban security forces, alongside armed men linked to Bashir Haji Noorzi, opened fire on protesters, resulting in deaths and destruction of property. This violence exposed the true nature of the mining system, one sustained not by public consent but by force.
The figure of Bashir Haji Noorzi is revealing. Previously associated with narcotics trafficking, he was released in 2022 and has since emerged as a key operator in Taliban controlled mining ventures. Critics argue that his role underscores how the mining sector is embedded in coercion and criminal networks rather than lawful governance. The Taliban policy has been to push out local miners and transfer control of mines to loyalists. Permits are denied to local populations, revenue sharing is kept secret, and oversight is virtually nonexistent.
Gold mines in northern Afghanistan reportedly generate millions of dollars each month. Most of this income flows directly to Taliban leadership instead of being invested in schools, hospitals or infrastructure. Mining has effectively become a parallel economy, unregulated, opaque and unaccountable. The proceeds from Badakhshan’s gold are used to purchase weapons, pay fighters and support the activities of al Qaeda. Alarmingly, the same financial streams are believed to be supporting Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan operations across the border. This wealth builds neither classrooms nor clinics. It entrenches violence and fear.
The absence of regulation extends to mining contracts signed after 2021. Environmental assessments, competitive bidding and independent monitoring have largely been ignored. These mineral rich zones, which also contain uranium and other valuable resources, have become easy targets for smuggling and terror financing. Where the rule of law is weak, illegal mining becomes a long term source of revenue for armed groups.
The environmental and human cost is severe. Mercury and other toxic chemicals are used without safeguards, contaminating rivers and groundwater. Drinking water, farmland, livestock and fisheries are being poisoned. Reports point to rising neurological disorders, kidney disease and birth complications. Heavy metals now pose a serious threat to thousands of families. Miners work without protective equipment, and tunnel collapses have claimed numerous lives. Laborers have no insurance, no medical care and no compensation. Their lives are treated as expendable.
Despite grand claims of improved security, the reality is stark. Taliban forces appear more focused on guarding mines and suppressing protests than addressing public grievances. Security exists not for citizens, but for the mining apparatus itself. Protests in Badakhshan and Takhar clearly demonstrate a crisis of legitimacy. Local elders have openly stated that no authority has the right to exploit national resources without the consent of the people. What is presented as development is widely seen as forcible extraction.