DERA MURAD JAMALI: Commissioner of Nasirabad Division Abid Saleem Qureshi on Tuesday said that the government has decided to make special security arrangements at sensitive places in the Mach coal field.

The commissioner held a meeting with mine owners, contractors and trade union representatives in view of the recent massacre of 11 coal miners in Mach.

Senior officials of the Bolan district administration, intelligence and law enforcement agencies also attended the meeting. They briefed the meeting about the Mach incident and steps so far taken for the safety of the mineworkers.

The mine owners and contractors informed the meeting about their concerns and identified the sensitive areas where security was needed and suggested the places for establishing police, Frontier Corps and Levies check-points.

The commissioner also held a separate meeting with the officials of the law enforcement and intelligence agencies. It was decided that security would be provided to the miners and owners working in Mach coalfield.

The intelligence agencies will collect human information and share it with the authorities concerned.

The meeting decided that the security of Mach city and its adjoining areas would be significantly increased and the numbers of police and Levies personnel would also be enhanced. Levies and police forces will also determine their boundaries in the true sense so that there will be no difficulties in providing security.

It was also decided that the mines inspector would compile the details of the people working in the Mach coalfield on a weekly basis and would share the data with the district administration.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2021