AFGHANISTAN holds over $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits, which the Taliban regime is utilizing as a financial engine to secure power rather than foster national development. By accelerating mining contracts in provinces like Nangarhar and Badakhshan, the regime has consolidated control through patronage, raising concerns regarding transparency and the distribution of wealth among the impoverished population. The warning signs are already visible.

There are mounting reports of coercion, forced land displacement, environmental damage and the use of children in hazardous mining work. These are the classic social costs of an extractive sector operating without independent regulation, oversight or community consent. When licensing, royalties and direct payments are negotiated behind closed doors, the line between state revenue and private gain disappears. Instead of building........

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