Mir Salam Jogezai:
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At least six coal miners were killed and five injured as a result of poisonous gas inside a coal mine in the Shahrag area of the Harnai district on Friday.
The mine was filled with poisonous gas and all 11 coal miners were trapped inside the mine, levies sources said. Rescue workers and fellow coal miners made hectic efforts to make sure the unhurt recovery of the trapped miners. However, they failed to do so as five miners had died inside the mine, levies sources said.
Dead bodies handed over to heirs
The dead bodies were shifted to the Shahrag basic health unit and the injured were also rushed. “We received six dead bodies and five injured”, Dr. Muhammad Akbar, the charge of the health unit confirmed.
The coal miners were working thousands of feet deep inside the mine when it was suddenly filled with the poisonous gas, levies sources said.
The hospital administration handed over the dead bodies of the coal miners to their heirs after completion of necessary official procedures.
Hazardous working conditions many precious human lives
Hazardous working conditions inside coal mines of Balochistan have claimed thousands of precious human lives during last few years. Labour unions have strongly criticized the government and the mines department for their failure to improve working conditions for the coal miners working inside mines of Balochistan.
“These are death holes not mines”, Peer Muhammad Kakar, the central leader of the Pakistan mines association said. He said the mines owners and contractors had good links with the government and authorities therefore no action was expected against what he called these ‘influential’ people.
HRCP expresses concern
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Balochistan chapter has also repeatedly expressed serious concern over the increasing number of deaths of miners inside mines of Balochistan. The HRCP has asked the government to take practical steps to bring an end to such incidents inside mines of Balochistan.
