QUETTA: A miner was killed in the Duki coal field area due to a mudslide inside a mine on Saturday, while officials confirmed that eight coal miners trapped 4,000 feet deep inside a collapsed mine in the Sanjdi area of Quetta have lost their lives.

The eight miners were among 12 who had been buried under tonnes of debris following a methane gas explosion on Thursday. Despite continuous rescue efforts over the past 60 hours, teams managed to recover only four bodies from around 3,500 feet below the surface.

“Unfortunately, it is now confirmed that the remaining eight coal miners have perished under the weight of thousands of tonnes of debris,” Balochistan Chief Inspector of Mines Abdul Ghani Baloch told Dawn, adding that efforts to recover the bodies were still underway.

In Saturday’s incident, the miner killed in the Duki coal field area due to a mudslide inside a mine was identified as Muhammad Ramzan, a resident of Qila Saifullah. He was retrieved by fellow miners and shifted to the district hospital.

Balochistan Mines Department orders legal action against owner

Legal action against mine owners

The Mines and Minerals Department has decided to take legal action against the owner of the collapsed coal mine in Sanjdi over not taking precautionary measures for the safety of the coal mine.

In a letter, Mr Baloch has asked the district administration to take legal action against the mine owner and file an FIR to bring those responsible to justice.

Balochistan Minister for Mines and Minerals Shoaib Nosherwani also vowed strict action. “Those responsible for the incident will be brought to justice after an inquiry,” he said, adding that the safety of miners was a top priority for the government and that a strategy was being devised to ensure proper safety protocols in all coal mines.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2025

Opinion

From hard to harder

From hard to harder

Instead of ‘hard state’ turning even harder, citizens deserve a state that goes soft on them in delivering democratic and development aspirations.

Editorial

Canal unrest
Updated 03 Apr, 2025

Canal unrest

With rising water scarcity in Indus system, it is crucial to move towards a consensus-driven policymaking process.
Iran-US tension
03 Apr, 2025

Iran-US tension

THE Trump administration’s threats aimed at Iran do not bode well for global peace, and unless Washington changes...
Flights to history
03 Apr, 2025

Flights to history

MOHENJODARO could have been the forgotten gold we desperately need. Instead, this 5,000-year-old well of antiquity ...
Eid amidst crises
Updated 31 Mar, 2025

Eid amidst crises

Until the Muslim world takes practical steps to end these atrocities, these besieged populations will see no joy.
Women’s rights
Updated 01 Apr, 2025

Women’s rights

Such judgements, and others directly impacting women’s rights should be given more airtime in media.
Not helping
Updated 02 Apr, 2025

Not helping

If it's committed to peace in Balochistan, the state must draw a line between militancy and legitimate protest.