Quetta: In Pakistan’s troubled Balochistan province, rescue operations are still underway following a coal mine accident in the Khost area of Harnai district that resulted in the deaths of two miners. This incident comes shortly after a separate tragedy last week, where 12 miners lost their lives due to a powerful methane gas explosion deep inside the Sanjdi mine.
On Sunday, six workers were successfully rescued from the Khost mine, where part of the structure collapsed while eight workers were inside. The two deceased miners, identified as Zahid and Islahat, were found after 12 hours of rescue efforts. The majority of the victims from the earlier Sanjdi mine explosion were from Shangla district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with one miner hailing from Swat.
In response to the latest tragedy, Pakistan’s Mines and Minerals Department has closed the Khost mine and launched an investigation. Labour Federation leaders have condemned the repeated fatalities and called for the adoption of stricter safety measures and the ratification of the International Labour Organisation’s Convention 176. They highlighted the government’s failure to enforce existing safety regulations, noting the absence of official visits to the accident sites and stressing the need for comprehensive reforms to safeguard the lives of coal miners.
Search efforts continue at the Sanjdi coalfield, with excavation having reached a depth of 4,100 feet. Eleven bodies have been recovered from this mine and returned to their families following legal formalities. Meanwhile, Ibadullah Khan, the Opposition leader in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, visited the Sanjdi site to receive updates on the ongoing rescue operation from officials.