File Photo: Rescue workers outside the coal mine that claimed seven lives of miners in Balochistan's Harnai district: Photo provided by Hanif Tareen

Two coal miners killed in a trolley accident in Dukki Balochistan

Hussain Zarkoon :

Two coal miners were killed in a trolley accident in Balochistan’s Dukki district on Tuesday morning. Levies sources said the coal miners were extracting coal from deep inside the mine when hit by a trolley. Both the miners breathed their last inside the mine.

The trolley was carrying bags full of coal when it hit the miners, Levies said. The victims were identified as Akhtar Muhammad and Rohullah. They belonged to Southern Afghanistan.

Fellow miners and rescue workers reached the affected mine and shifted the dead bodies to district headquarters hospital Dukki. The dead bodies were handed over to the heirs after the completion of necessary official procedures. Labour unions have strongly condemned the incident and demanded an investigation into the incident. “Government must protect the lives of the miners”, Peer Muhammad Kakar, the Central leader of Balochistan coal mines association said. He said the rulers were least bothered about the lives of poverty-hit coal miners.

This incident comes a couple of days after a similar incident in Dukki

This incident has come to a couple of days after a coal miner died in a similar incident in Dukki Balochistan. Dukki houses rich coal reservoirs and thousands of laborers have been working in these mines. However, poor or no safety arrangements continue to claim precious human lives every day. “Mines owners and contractors earning too much at the cost of lives of coal miners”, Mr. Kakar lamented.

Rights groups concerned over the incident

Rights groups have expressed serious concern over increasing incidents of coal mines in Dukki and other parts of Balochistan. “This is a human tragedy, every day people are dying”, Habib Tahir Advocate, the Chairman Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Balochistan Chapter said.

He demanded of the government to implement the mining rules and act and protect the lives of the hapless coal miners.

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Quetta Voice is an English Daily covering all unfolding political, economic and social issues relating to Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province in terms of area. QV's main focus is on stories related to education, promotion of quality education and publishing reports about out of school children in the province. QV has also a vigilant eye on health, climate change and other key sectors.