Writer: Hamid Tariq
Two days before the September 11 attacks, an event occurred in Afghanistan that was of particular significance to the people of that land; the death of Ahmad Shah Massoud, a warlord whom some misguided individuals considered the savior of Afghanistan, while others, aware of his true character, placed him among the other warlords whose hands were stained with the blood of many innocent people.
Masoud’s story, however, was slightly different from others, as during the twenty years of occupation, numerous efforts were made by his relatives to wash away the stain of treason and oppression from Masoud’s face and place a mask of heroism upon him. The bestowal of the title “National Hero” by Karzai upon Ahmad Shah Masoud was an example of these individuals’ unsuccessful attempts to rehabilitate his image.
After the assassination of Ahmad Shah Massoud on September 9, 2001, his personality quickly gained prominence in major foreign media and some prominent political circles, and over time, he was presented as Afghanistan’s national hero. However, this image often presented a different face from his historical and operational reality.
Meanwhile, a group of political associates, family, and close relatives of Massoud consistently tried to portray his role solely as resistance against foreign occupying forces throughout this period, without mentioning the Afshar massacre, his espionage for foreigners, or the looting of the Panjshir emerald.
Undoubtedly, one of the main goals of this highlighting was to create political and economic legitimacy for the members of Massoud’s network, and especially his family, after his death. Using advertising and the support of some officials, an attempt was made to establish the image of Massoud as a “pure hero” in the minds of the people.
Extensive propaganda that enabled the Massoud family to play a key role in the Western puppet government and maintain their position at the table of looting and plundering Afghanistan’s national assets.
To see the true face and behind the mask of Massoud, it is enough to take even a brief look at the bitter fate of Emerald, the precious stone of Panjshir, under the shadow of Ahmad Shah Massoud and his co-religionists. It was a great divine blessing that, instead of being used to improve the country’s situation, filled the pockets of Massoud and his entourage and added to their wealth.
The Panjshir emerald mines became a tool to finance Massoud’s militias during the civil wars, and during the republic, they served as an illegal source of income for those who exploited opportunities to loot national resources.
The documentary “Hidden Precious Stones: The Dimension of Horror” clearly shows that a network of Ahmad Shah Massoud’s associates, including his son-in-law and a man named Mohammad Gul, who was Massoud’s personal driver, directly controlled the emerald trade by controlling the emerald market and setting its prices.
Mohammad Gul, who was tasked by Massoud in the 1980s with collecting and selling emeralds abroad, is an example of loyal associates who prioritized personal and family interests over national interests. Years later, reports indicated that around three thousand mines were controlled by irresponsible armed groups, “Massoud’s co-religionists,” who continued to plunder national resources.
Specifically, the smuggling of Afghan emeralds thru Pakistan and India routes generated an annual income of approximately 150 million for the Masoud circle, an income that the Ministry of Industry and Mines was unable to control during the twenty-year occupation.
In this documentary, it becomes clear to the audience that the key to the mines was solely in the hands of the Massoud family, and access to them was impossible without their permission; these are facts that reveal a different side of Ahmed Shah Massoud than the one created by the media and political propaganda.
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