Pak Taliban take over lapis lazuli mines in Swat

The Pakistani Taliban have taken control of mines producing precious lapis lazuli stones in the insurgency-hit Swat valley and started operating them on their own. The Taliban have confirmed that they took control of the mines two months ago when they arrived in the hilly area of Fiza Ghat, a resort on the outskirts of Mingora in Swat.

The militants have appointed hundreds of local labourers to work round-the-clock to excavate lapis lazuli stones as authorities in the area had left the mines, BBC Urdu reported on Wednesday on its website.

One-third of the income from the mines is taken by the Taliban while the rest is offered to the labourers, a Taliban militant told BBC.

The Taliban have deployed senior commanders at several mines to monitor the excavation of stones. A Taliban commander said the mines were in a "working condition" when Swat was ruled by a prince in the 1960s, but the Government had always argued they were being operated at a loss and the business had not been producing any profits.

Lapis lazuli stones of international standard have been mined in Swat since they were first discovered in 1962, when the valley was an independent state ruled by a prince called a Wali. Swat joined Pakistan in 1969. The mines are believed to be spread over an area of about 6 km.

A Taliban commander claimed all income from the mines was being transferred into the pockets of corrupt officers and influential people in Swat. After the Taliban took control of the mines, the situation had changed and local residents are now benefiting from the mines, he claimed. The Taliban did not allow reporters to take photographs of the mines and labourers.

The workers are given cards on which rules for working in the mines are written in Pashto. They are not allowed to work during the time of prayers. The workers have also been warned they would be severely punished if they steal any stones.

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