Controlled explosions are commonplace in the limestone quarries outside Taxila. It is here that a group of dedicated workers are chipping away at the hills, bit by bit, in an effort to earn a living for themselves.

The primary crusher further breaks down the raw material into smaller pieces, which is then conveyed to the main crusher. - Photo by writer

Even though mechanisation has taken the business of crushing rocks down to a manageable level, work on the hills around Taxila takes place mostly by hand.

Ali Khan, 25, is a shovel load operator at the stone crushing site. He says, “When I have a son, I will send him to school and not let him work here.” - Photo by writer

Mohammad Ali is 15 and belongs to a village in Swabi. His friends call him the drill man. A drilled hole is filled with explosives for blasting which helps to break off large chunks of rock from the mountain. - Photo by writer

The stones and rocks quarried here are not only used in construction sites across the region, especially Islamabad and Rawalpindi, but are also shipped to other parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Abdul Rehman has been breaking rocks for 30 years. He is from Swabi and lives in Sangjani with his family. - Photo by writer

The workers first drill holes into the tough rock formations, creating spaces for dynamite to be placed carefully among the cracks. The explosives are then triggered and larger rocks are brought down to size, allowing the manual labour to begin working on refining the product.

Samiullah is 23 and has been working at the crusher since the age of 15. He keeps his face covered as he has suffered lung damage due to long exposure to stone dust. - Photo by writer

Mechanical shovels and crushers supplement the efforts of the men that work here. Hardened like the rock around them, the men with hammers can pound any stone into submission. Shovelled into the conveyer belt so they can be shifted to trucks that will transport to their eventual destinations, these rocks are sent to cement factories and construction sites in nearly all nearby districts and towns.

Zarghoon Khan operates the bulldozer. He says with a proud smile, “the strongest man drives this tough machine and that is me”. - Photo by writer

Most of the men that work here are Pakhtuns and Afghans, who have moved here from their native areas because they can earn a living and take care of their families through the work they find here. The skilled workers who can expertly handle explosives are the highest paid here, followed by the ones that operate the machinery.

A group of labourers sit inside their makeshift housing to break for lunch. Joking about their cooking skills one of them says, “We have learned to cook the best meat curry in Pakistan.” - Photo by writer

Published in Dawn January 18th , 2015

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