59 miners have been killed in 16 incidents only in the first 8 months of this year, Mines & Mineral Department
Mine-related incidents have not been controlled since 2010 as until August 2018 a total of 422 miners have been killed and 52 were injured in several incidents in coal mines in Balochistan.
A report on all the incidents occurred at coal mines in Balochistan was submitted by Balochistan’s Mines and Mineral department in Balochistan assembly.
According to the report, in 2010, 48 miners were killed in 22 accidents, In 2011, 90 miners were killed in 31 accidents, In 2012, 50 miners were killed in 38 accidents, in 2013, 33 lives were lost in 16 accidents, in 2014, 33 lives were lost in 24 accidents, in 2015, 45 lives were lost in 30 accidents, in 2016, 31 lives were lost in 23 accident. Similarly, mine accidents killed 33 miners in 2017 and 59 miners have lost their lives until August 2018.
It is pertinent to mention, mining in Balochistan is still being done with the obsolete ‘Pillar and Room’ technique which is one of the riskiest techniques in mining and world has already abandoned this technique except in Balochistan.
Various international organizations working for worker rights have strongly condemned Pakistan for the complete absence of an effective occupational health and safety policy in the country, which has resulted in the deaths of a large number of workers in industries, particularly in coal mines.