March 29, 2024
By Nadeem Khan
QUETTA
Coalminers in Balochistan face an ever-present specter of tragedy as they descend into the depths of the earth to extract vital resources. Deaths, abductions, methane gas explosions, and mine roof collapses have become a way of life.
On March 28, heavy rainfall led to a roof collapse in Balochistan’s Duki coalmines, claiming the lives of five miners. Levies and mine workers recovered the victims’ bodies, and shifted them to the hospital.
Earlier, on March 22, armed assailants abducted three coalminers in the Duki coalfields. The kidnappers evaded capture after an exchange of gunfire, escaping with their captives.
Before these events, 12 mine workers lost their lives in a methane gas explosion.
Matiullah, a miner, says that neither the government nor the contractors are willing to address our concerns.
These incidents have prompted action within the mining community. The coalminers ceased operations, while the Pakistan Workers Federation staged a highway blockade leading to Duki on March 23.
However, the sit-in ended following negotiations between tribal elders and district authorities, and assurance that the abducted miners would be recovered.
Pir Muhammad Kakar, General Secretary Pakistan Workers Federation, said that miners now fear not only the depths of the mines but also the threat of abduction for ransom – “Following the abduction of two men from Mach in Balochistan, who were released after 40 days, now seven more miners have been taken from Duki.”
He claims that currently the abductors are holding 10 miners captive. “When we approach the contractors, they redirect us to the state authorities, and when we seek assistance from the state, they instruct us to engage law enforcement agencies,” he said.
Kakar urged the state authorities to not treat coalminers as “footballs”, and added that amendments to the Mines Act of 1923 are urgently needed. “Also, Pakistan’s ratification of ILO Convention No.176 on Safety and Health in Mine should be upheld.”
Balochistan hosts the largest coalmines, employing thousands of workers. “These workers are constantly endangered, with approximately 200 lives lost annually due to accidents and unsafe working conditions,” he added.
Human rights organisations have intensified calls for improved facilities and safety measures within coalmines to safeguard the lives of workers.