TWO recent deadly mining tragedies in Balochistan have once again exposed the hazardous nature of work in this sector, and the lack of safety protocols for miners. Two workers have been confirmed dead after a coalmine collapsed in Harnai on Sunday, while 11 bodies have been recovered from a mine in Sanjdi near Quetta. The labourers were trapped thousands of feet underground in the latter incident when a methane gas explosion occurred on Jan 9. While the mining sector can bring significant riches to owners, the lives of those who toil underground doing back-breaking work appear to come cheap. Last year, too, we saw a number of fatal incidents, mostly in Balochistan; 12 miners perished in a gas explosion in Harnai in the deadliest accident. Each time such tragic incidents occur, the state promises to look into the matter. Even after the latest incidents, the provincial mines and minerals department has promised an inquiry. If past precedent is any guide, these unfortunate episodes will soon be forgotten, and the colliers, who live a hand-to-mouth existence, will continue to risk their lives in the mines.

It does not have to be this way. In fact, Pakistan’s mining sector could benefit if workers were protected by adequate safety protocols and compensated well for their work, and received adequate compensation in case of injury or accident. The Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation has demanded all of these. It has called for ratification of ILO-C 176 — the Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 — as well as awareness programmes focusing on workers’ safety. Activists add that the state has failed to enforce the relevant regulations. Moreover, the IndustriALL Global Union says Pakistan’s workers lack health facilities and medical care in the vicinity of mines. If these facilities were made available at the mining sites, many lives could possibly be saved if affected workers were administered immediate medical care. But sadly, greedy owners and a callous state care little for these toilers. This attitude must change; those mine owners found to be cutting corners in implementing safety standards must be penalised while the state should ratify ILO-C 176 to signal that it values the health and safety of miners. There is no doubt that mining is a dangerous profession, but attempts could be made to minimise the hazards.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2025