Local authorities in Panjshir announced that 1,244 carats of emeralds mined in the province were sold legally, for the first time, and fetched 24 million afghanis at an auction.
Panjshir governor’s media office said in a statement that 150 businessmen from Panjshir and other provinces attended the auction.
Mohammad Agha Hakim, the governor of Panjshir, said that this was the first time emeralds were mined and sold legally and transparently with no corruption involved
Hakim said in the past, Panjshir emeralds were sold off as having been mined in other countries in the region. This time was different, and the stones fetched good prices on auction
