Balochistan's 4,500 coal mines have become valleys of death due to lack of safety measures as in the last 10 years, around 9,00 colliers have lost their lives in various mine-collapse-related accidents.
More than 44,000 workers work in more than 45000 coal mines in Balochistan amid a lack of modern safety equipment in many coal mines.
Thousands of lives are at stake due to government negligence and the contractual system.
Mine labourers voices
A collier Akhtar Mohammad said local coal mines do not have ventilators and exhaust pipes in the wake of any poisonous gas. Miners who survive accidents inside the mine fall victim to deadly diseases.
He said coal mine congestion led to Kidney damage and every other day some disease occurred and teeth also got damaged.
According to the Balochistan Department of Minerals officials, 40 to 50 million tonnes of coal is extracted annually in Balochistan.
During the last ten years, around 900 miners have lost their lives in 600 incidents. In 2024, 46 miners died in 21 accidents.
Chief Inspector Mines Abdul Ghani said the provincial government’s strict implementation of safety measures reduced the accident rate.
Shahid Rand, Balochistan government spokesman said hundreds of cases against coal mine owners for violating safety measures are also pending in the courts.
