Yousuf Gill is amongst those who risk their health and life for a livelihood | Mukhtar Azad
“I earn more in the six to seven months at the mines than I would ever be able to earn in a year,” he says. He works a 12-hour shift daily, sometimes going as deep as 6,000 feet for which he brings back 130,000 rupees.
“When I return to my village, the first few days are spent paying off the medical store, the grocer and the woodcutter,” he says.
Working in coalfields in Balochistan presents a stark and humdrum life. “We live in tents. Our meals consist of either a potato curry or lentils. On Thursdays we eat a meat dish and Friday is our day off when we wash our clothes, clean ourselves up — some may even head to a nearby town,” says Ali. “During break from work, it is music that keeps us entertained but only if someone among us with a mullah mindset has no objection!” he adds with a laugh.
“Poverty [among miners] is endemic; very few are educated and there is no [other] employment opportunity here for the men but they earn good money,” says 55-year-old Gulshah Khan, who worked as a driver in Islamabad for two decades and is now living a retired life earning from investments made in the mining industry.
In his village of Zarra, neighbouring Ali’s village, 14 men died in the two accidents. Seven were from the same family. Among the dead were two neighbours — Abdullah, 22 and his younger brother, 18-year-old Abdul Haq — who were miners in Marwar district in Balochistan.
“Their father also died from an accident in the same mine, when they were very young,” recalls Alibash Khan, a social worker, based in Shangla, who knew the boys. “Abdullah was to get married in June. It was heartbreaking to see all the preparation his mother had done for the upcoming wedding.”
END THE CONTRACT SYSTEM
“We do not have a good track record with safety issues of miners,” said Sultan Khan. “Unless the contracting system ends [and] labourers are registered with the Employees Old-age Benefit Institution [EOBI] [so they can avail benefits], we do not see any improvement in the plight of the workers,” he says. Moreover, inspections do not take place regularly under the supervision of private contractors. Even those working in the ship-breaking industry (well known as a hazardous workplace) are better off. “And that is not saying too much!” Sultan Khan continues. “If there is a fire on the ship, the workers either have to jump in the water and drown or get burned!” he explains. “In the case of those who are injured in a mine accident, some lose their limbs, some even their mind, but the contractors see no reason to come forward to pay compensation or hospitalisation [fees].”
SINDH MINE WORKERS BETTER OFF THAN BALOCHISTAN’S
“The mines in Balochistan are no less than death knells for workers,” says Qamoos Gul Khattak, secretary general of the National Labour Federation (NLF).
“You may find several mineworkers’ unions across Pakistan but all are headed by contractors. In such a situation, how will the voice of the workers in coal mines be heard?” he asks. He considers one of the biggest reasons for the deplorable plight of mine workers in Balochistan is that the province has the worst track record for health and safety of workers.
Khattak says that Sindh was the only province which had a union for miners in the true sense.
“This is absolutely correct!” concedes Sultan Khan, adding, “Balochistan trade unionists were fighting on many fronts. The topography [mines lie in very remote areas] makes access impossible, the law and order situation is almost non-existent and the feudal lords are both politicians and mine-owners making it most difficult to hold them responsible.”
In contrast, Khattak points out, “Mine workers in Sindh get an annual pay raise, an annual bonus, paid leave, a reward of 3,000 rupees on every Eid and healthcare is completely free even if it means expensive heart surgery.” If a worker is injured and unable to continue work, he is paid 5,250 rupees per month till his death. In case of an accident, the compensation is 600,000 rupees and another 100,000 rupees for transportation of the dead body and burial of the deceased. There is also proper housing and playgrounds for them.
NEED TO REVIEW AGE-OLD LEGISLATION
Pakistan has four national level laws related to health, safety and welfare of workers engaged in mining and quarrying: the Mines Act 1923, Mines Maternity Benefits Act 1941, Coal Mines (Fixation of Rates and Wages) Ordinance 1960, and the Excise Duty on Mineral (Labour) Welfare Act 1967. Under the existing laws and the general atmosphere of apathy, the owners and authorities care little about enforcement of safety clauses. “Examination of the four national level laws relating to health, safety and welfare of workers shows that these haven’t been reviewed after the 18th Amendment to conform to the ILO conventions of 1995 and later to the 2006 ILO code,” explains Huzaima Ikram, a senior advocate.
According to Sultan Khan, the Mines Act 1923 is a very comprehensive one, but does not penalise or hold anyone responsible in case of an accident.
“Coal extraction in developing economies like Pakistan comes at a great human cost because coal is cheaper and it exists aplenty,” Zeenat Hisam, senior researcher, having worked on labour rights for over two decades, tells Eos.
In a recent op-ed in daily Dawn, Hisam writes: “Pakistan has yet to legislate on and effectively enforce a modern mining law protecting the rights of all stakeholders including workers.”
Ikram says that the main reason for not updating the British-era mining laws is apathy on the part of legislators sitting in assemblies and the “ineffectiveness” of labour unions. In addition, there is no debate on this vital issue in the media which becomes active only in the event of a catastrophe. “Even then, they don’t open up discourse on the inadequacy of law and rules,” she points out.
According to Ikram, there is an urgent need for all provinces to re-enact the national level laws. However, she points out that, in a recent case, the Supreme Court held that although labour matters stand devolved to provinces, if more than one province is involved, then the labour laws as enacted by the National Assembly will prevail and provincial law will have to yield.
Published in Dawn, EOS, June 3rd, 2018