Pakistan: Two Killed in Fresh Mishap in Balochistan; 11 Bodies Recovered from Sanjdi Mine
Rescue efforts continue in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, where a recent coal mine accident in the Khost area of Harnai district claimed two more lives. This follows the death of 12 miners in a previous incident just last week.
Quetta: Rescue efforts continue in Pakistan‘s restive Balochistan province, where a recent coal mine accident in the Khost area of Harnai district claimed two more lives. This follows the death of 12 miners in a previous incident just last week.
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Khost Coal Mine Accident
Six workers, who had been trapped in the Khost coal mine on Sunday, were successfully rescued by local authorities. The tragedy occurred when cracks developed in the mine, leading to part of the structure caving in while eight workers were still inside. Despite ongoing efforts, two miners, Zahid and Islahat, were trapped deep inside the mine and could not be saved. Their bodies were recovered after 12 hours of continuous rescue operations.
In response to the incident, the Mines and Minerals Department of Pakistan has closed the Khost mine and launched an inquiry into the mishap.
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Sanjdi Mine Recovery Operations
Meanwhile, efforts to retrieve the body of the last miner trapped in the Sanjdi mine continue. On January 9, a powerful methane gas explosion in the mine left 12 miners trapped 4,000 feet deep. Most of the victims were from Shangla district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with one hailing from Swat. So far, 11 bodies have been recovered, and excavation efforts have reached a depth of 4,100 feet. The bodies were handed over to their families after medico-legal procedures were completed.
Calls for Safety Reforms
The Labour Federation has condemned these deaths, urging the government to ratify safety standards and the International Labour Organisation Convention 176. They have also called for awareness programs to improve miners’ safety and criticized the government’s failure to enforce existing safety regulations. The repeated incidents highlight the urgent need for reforms to protect the lives of coal miners in Pakistan.
Opposition leader Ibadullah Khan also visited the Sanjdi coalfield on Sunday to receive updates on the rescue operation from officials of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and the Mines Department.
