Qaseem Shah
QUETTA: A Chief Minister Inspection Team (CMIT) and other government departments have released an investigation report into the tragic Sor Range coal mine accident, which claimed the lives of 34 miners at Sardar Muhammad Usman Khan Jogezai Coal Company’s Mine No. 1 two months ago.
The investigation report identified illegal use of explosives, violations of mining safety regulations and serious administrative negligence as major factors behind the deadly incident.
According to the report, evidence found at the accident site, including drill holes in hard rock, established that the disaster was caused by underground blasting.
The investigation found that the company had no licence to possess or use explosives and did not have a trained explosives expert to carry out or supervise blasting operations.
Serious Violations of Mining Safety Laws
The report found clear violations of Regulations 97 and 99 of the Coal Mines Regulations, 1926.
Investigators said the mine owner, manager and mine sardar were aware of the use of explosives underground but failed to report the illegal practice to the relevant authorities.
The report described the failure to inform authorities as a serious lapse on the part of the mine administration.
Six Underage Miners Among Those Killed
The investigation also uncovered serious violations of the Mines Act, 1923, particularly Sections 26-A and 26-B concerning the employment of minors in mines.
According to identification documents examined by investigators, six of the deceased miners were under the age of 18, while two were below 17.
The deceased underage workers were identified as Ziaullah, 16 years and 3 months; Rehmat Ali, 16 years and 4 months; Abu Sufyan, 17 years and 2 months; Shabbirullah, 17 years and 3 months; Abu Zar, 17 years and 3 months; and Muti-ur-Rehman, 17 years and 7 months.
Rs2 Billion Worth of Coal Extracted in Three Years
The inquiry further revealed that the company had extracted coal worth more than Rs2 billion from the mine over the past three years.
Despite the significant volume of coal production, miners reportedly remained deprived of basic facilities, including clean drinking water, proper accommodation and EOBI registration.
The report also noted that safety concerns had been identified before the accident, including a severe shortage of timber supports inside the mine and the presence of hazardous coal dust.
According to the investigation, these warnings were not adequately addressed by the mine owners.
33 Victims Belonged to Shangla
Of the 34 miners killed in the Sor Range coal mine accident, 33 belonged to Shangla district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Most of the victims reportedly belonged to the same village. The tragedy also claimed the lives of three brothers and their uncle from the same family, deepening the grief among the victims families and community.
The investigation has highlighted serious questions regarding mine safety, illegal blasting, enforcement of labour laws, employment of underage workers and regulatory oversight in Balochistan’s coal-mining sector.
