Taliban Halt Gold Mining Operations In Takhar, Detain Two After Deadly Clashes

In a statement, Bank Alfalah said the move does not constitute a final sale but marks the start of a formal evaluation and negotiation process between the two sides. The proposal, it said, represents the first step in a multi-stage divestment process.

The bank said completion of due diligence, the signing of definitive transaction agreements and full compliance with legal and regulatory requirements will be required before the transaction can be finalised. No timeline for completion was provided, and the bank did not explain the reasons for seeking to sell its Afghan operations.

Bank Alfalah said it has formally notified the Pakistan Stock Exchange of the decision. It added that the State Bank of Pakistan has granted Ghazanfar Bank initial approval to begin a detailed review of Bank Alfalah’s Afghan business. Afghanistan’s central bank, Da Afghanistan Bank, has also approved and authorised the process, according to the statement.

Pakistani media reports say Bank Alfalah has been seeking to exit the Afghan market for several years. An earlier attempt to divest its operations failed in 2019, when Da Afghanistan Bank rejected an acquisition proposal from Azizi Bank.

Although Bank Alfalah and Azizi Bank had reached a preliminary understanding at the time, the deal could not proceed without regulatory approval. Following that setback, Bank Alfalah said it would continue operating in Afghanistan while exploring alternative options.

Bank Alfalah entered the Afghan market in 2005 and currently operates branches in Kabul and Herat.

In an open letter addressed to the special rapporteurs of the UN Human Rights Council, the activists said the Taliban administration has pursued policies that deliberately marginalise and suppress the use of Persian, one of Afghanistan’s two official languages.

The letter raised concerns about what it described as linguistic and structural discrimination, accusing the Taliban of imposing Pashto across education, administration and other public spheres. The activists said these policies have deprived Persian speakers of equal participation, fair access to public services and social standing.

Among their demands are an independent international investigation into linguistic discrimination against Persian speakers in Afghanistan, proper documentation of such practices, formal recognition of the discrimination and accountability for Taliban leaders responsible for the policies.

Afghanistan’s 2004 constitution recognised Pashto and Dari as the country’s official languages. However, since seizing power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on the use of Persian.

According to the letter, the use of Persian has been significantly curtailed in official meetings, government documents, public signage and state media. In several provinces, Persian-language signs have been removed from government offices, while images of Persian-speaking poets have reportedly been taken down in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

The activists urged the international community to scrutinise the Taliban’s language policies and take action to protect linguistic rights as part of broader efforts to address human rights violations in Afghanistan.

Speaking to Geo News, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Pakistan was concerned about the Taliban’s expanding relationship with New Delhi and was ready to respond to any aggression along both its eastern and western borders.

Asked whether Pakistan has the capacity to fight on two fronts simultaneously, Asif said the country was fully prepared.

Relations between Pakistan, India and the Afghan Taliban have deteriorated in recent months. Pakistan fought a four-day conflict with India in May last year and, several months later, clashed with Taliban forces in October.

The remarks follow comments earlier this week by Pakistan army spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, who accused the Afghan Taliban of aligning themselves with the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

As tensions with Pakistan have risen, the Taliban have expanded engagement with India. Over the past two months, several senior Taliban officials, including three cabinet ministers, have travelled to New Delhi. Taliban officials have said they hope India will help offset economic losses following a downturn in trade with Pakistan.

Asif also referred to last year’s conflict with India, saying Pakistani fighter jets were tested under real combat conditions during the fighting. He added that Pakistan has since received significant international orders for combat aircraft, describing the development as a sign of confidence in the country’s defence capabilities.

In a statement posted on X on Tuesday, Mujahid said remarks by Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry regarding Afghanistan’s political and social structure were “detached from facts” and incompatible with the standards of a responsible military position.

Mujahid urged Pakistan’s state institutions to focus on resolving their internal problems and to refrain from what he described as “straying beyond official diplomatic frameworks”.

He said the Taliban view Afghanistan as “an independent and stable country with a strong security structure and decisive leadership”, adding that comments on Afghanistan’s internal affairs and the use of “threatening language” are unacceptable to the Afghan people.

Citing the sensitivity of relations between the two neighbours, Mujahid called on Pakistani authorities to adopt a cautious and responsible approach in expressing their positions.

Earlier on Tuesday, Chaudhry said at a press conference that Pakistan’s primary focus in 2025 had been security, particularly counterterrorism. He said the current structure in Afghanistan did not constitute a “government” and described the Taliban as presenting themselves as an “interim administration”.

Referring to the Doha agreement between the United States and the Afghan Taliban, Chaudhry said the accord stipulated that Afghan territory should not be used for terrorism. He claimed, however, that terrorist groups and banned organisations are now present in Afghanistan, alleging that the country has become a centre for terrorist operations in the region.

The Taliban have repeatedly rejected such accusations, saying they do not allow Afghan soil to be used to threaten other countries.

Homayoun Afghan, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, said a team led by local Takhar officials had been sent to assess the situation at the mining sites.

In an audio message released on Tuesday, Afghan confirmed that confrontations between miners and residents had resulted in casualties and property damage, though he did not give specific figures. He said further details would be released after the investigation is completed.

Afghanistan International reported earlier that residents of the Samti area in Chah Ab district clashed with companies linked to the Taliban over gold mining operations, setting fire to company equipment during the unrest.

Local sources said at least three residents and one Taliban member have been killed, with 16 others wounded. They said clashes were continuing and the situation was rapidly deteriorating.

Videos obtained by Afghanistan International show thick columns of smoke rising from the area of the clashes.
According to local residents, as protests intensified, officials from Taliban-linked companies left the area. Residents said the number of casualties among protesters continues to rise.

Sources said the protests were triggered by concerns over severe environmental damage and water shortages caused by what residents described as unregulated mining.

Residents of Chah Ab district had also clashed with Taliban members on Friday after mining operations began in residential areas.

The companies involved are reportedly linked to Bashar Noorzai, a major drug trafficker described by local sources as a key financial backer of the Taliban. Residents said they are protesting against the activities of three such companies operating in the area.