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The guerilla fighters are mining emerald in Swat to finance their fight against Pakistan

The Taliban is surely gaining ground in Pakistan. And, it is not just the ground that the guerilla warriors are capturing it is the riches also which comes with it.

Once the madrasa students of the yore - the Taliban - now controls the world's second largest emerald mines in the world that have come as a gift with the territory of Swat valley in Pakistan.

Standing guard: Troops of Pakistan para military force patrol in Buner in Pakistan's troubled valley of Swat on Monday

The jihadists know the importance of the resource and intelligence agencies have confirmed that they are mining the gemstone with amazing speed to fuel their ongoing war with the Pakistan army.

The intelligence agencies are regularly updating the Indian government over the issue, as the development will have a lasting impact on the security scenario in the south Asian region.
 
"The emergence of Taliban is a big boost for terrorism in this region. All big terror groups are ready to align with it and changes have already started to happen.
 
With each passing day Taliban is inching close to Islamabad while the Pakistan government has been reduced to a mute spectator," said a senior official from the Ministry of Home Affairs, requesting anonymity.

As a consequence, international community engaged in checking financing of terror from all quarters would have a new headache and it may have direct bearing on India as the most of the terror groups operating from the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are considered close to the Taliban.

Earlier, the Taliban was heavily dependent on the poppy cultivation in Afghanistan for money to buy arms and sustain their engagement with the US and ally forces.

But after they made inroads into neighbouring Pakistan from the restive North Western Frontier Province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, the Taliban have gained from strength to strength.

The Pakistan government has not admitted the fact as yet but it is popular knowledge that local Pakistani populace has been recruited to dig out the emerald from the mines.
 
"Presently people in Swat valley are paid about Rs 400 per day to dig emeralds from these mines.

These gems can fetch anything from $ 1000 to $ 10,000 in the international markets due to their high quality," said Urvashi J Kumar, Research Officer, Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS).
 
The emerald mines located in Pakistan and Afghanistan are known for producing some of the best quality emeralds of one to five carat and are in very high demand in the international market.

Though Taliban has not lost control over the mines located in Afghanistan the Pakistani mines has diversified its financial base.
 
"Earlier Taliban's main source of fund used to be poppy cultivated in Afghanistan but emerald mines has given it a never ending source of money.
 
Several international agencies have been trying to cut off this vital source of funding but there has not been even limited success," the Home Ministry official added.

The Pakistan government's ceasefire agreement with the Taliban in Swat and FATA region proved to be watershed event after which the guerilla fighters gained a complete control over these areas. "These are basically tribal areas with a pro-Taliban sentiment.
 
The people here are ready to work for the Taliban as it promises them a share out of the total produce," said the officer.

According to Urvashi, who has been keeping a close watch over the developments, the daily produce could range from five to ten emeralds per day.

She also said that the mines used to be under the control of Pakistan government and mining was allowed on lease basis.

"But, the now situation has changed completely. Pakistan government is not even ready to accept this fact," she said.

Pankaj Jha, associate fellow, Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA) and a known security expert of the south Asia region said, "Taliban has almost corporatised its funding system.

Its main sources of fund used to be poppy cultivation only which is still under demand in the international market.

The access to emerald mines has given a much larger fund base assuring it a proper supply of arms and ammunitions," he said.