Manan Mandokhail:
QUETTA: The tragic toll of coal mine accidents in Balochistan has reached 52 fatalities within the first seven months of 2024. The most recent incidents added three more deaths to this alarming statistic, highlighting the ongoing risks faced by miners in the region.
In a recent incident in Machh, brothers Muhammad Ismail and Abdul Manan, both shopkeepers, lost their lives due to suffocation caused by a buildup of poisonous gas in a coal mine. Meanwhile, in Harnai, a 25-year-old miner named Muhammad Jalil was killed when a pile of coal collapsed on him in the Shahrig area mine.
According to a report from the Department of Minerals, there have been 26 accidents this year in Balochistan’s coal mines, resulting in 52 deaths and 10 injuries. Chief Inspector Abdul Ghani noted that the regions of Quetta, Harnai, and Dukki have experienced the highest frequency of these tragic incidents.
The report underscores the hazardous working conditions in the province’s coal mines and calls for improved safety measures and regulations to protect the lives of workers. The provincial government and relevant authorities are under increasing pressure to address the safety challenges in the mining sector and prevent further loss of life.
