2 killed as coal mine collapses in Quetta

Published
Donkeys stand at the entrance of a coal mine in Pakistan.  — Reuters/File
Donkeys stand at the entrance of a coal mine in Pakistan. — Reuters/File

QUETTA: Two miners were killed when a landslide struck a coal mine in the Sorranj area on the outskirts of Quetta.

According to Baloc­h­i­stan’s Chief Mines Insp­ector, Rafiullah, workers were inside the mine when a mass of earth suddenly collapsed, burying them under the debris.

The deceased miners have been identified as Shaista Khan and Abdul Malik. Fellow miners retrieved their bodies from the site and shifted them to Quetta Civil Hospital.

Meanwhile, the Chief Mines Inspector has ordered the coal mine to be sealed and initiated an inquiry into the incident.

Mines in Balochistan, which are operated by private companies under lease agreements with the government, are known for hazardous working conditions and poor safety standards, where deadly incidents are not uncommon.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2025

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