EDITORIAL: If repeated mining-related accidents are any guide, the government machinery will go through its usual motions after the Orakzai mine blast that killed at least nine people and injured several others, everybody will express profound sorrow, promise compensation and vow to improve safety standards, but then it will be back to business as usual till the next such tragedy prompts the same reaction.
As pointed out repeatedly in this space, such accidents are always just waiting to happen because nobody from the government to mine owners is interested in improving safety or even implementing proper labour laws. That is why the mining sector is stuck with outdated technology, which means the lives of miners all over the country are always at risk.
One reason mine owners themselves resist embracing 21st century technology is that they feel comfortable with the export revenue that the present arrangement gives them. And as long as a few dead miners here and there don’t upset their balance sheets too much, even if it invites negative press every time, they are clearly not interested enough to throw any money to upgrade their technology or even their mentality.
But while that might explain the reluctance of the private sector, to an extent, such things do not let the government off the hook. After all, it’s not just that mine owners are not modernizing, it’s also that they are resisting implementing existing labour laws by keeping their workers in sub-human and extremely dangerous conditions.
Besides, the government could do with a boost to export revenue even if miners themselves are happy with how fat their wallets are right now. It’s because it cannot stimulate exports or tax revenue that it must rely excessively on remittances to keep the current account stable; and still struggle to do it. Yet here we have a situation where it is turning a blind eye to blatant violations of labour laws, cruel and harmful working conditions, and a whole sector that simply refuses to shape up and contribute more meaningfully to the economy. Just the Orakzai area, along with the tribal subdivision of Darra Adam Khel, has recorded about 80 deaths from 30 mine explosions, according to a local official quoted in the press, but it’s still not got policy makers or industry insiders to so much as lift a finger to do something about it.
It’s the government that must take responsibility for such things at the end of the day, and the longer it delays necessary reforms the more it will invite accusations of collusion with industry insiders that thrive on the status quo. The last government official to talk about modernising the mining industry was the KP (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) minister for labour and culture, after the Mohmand mine collapse killed more than 20 workers in 2020, yet those words did not translate into any sort of action at all. The same cycle of lament and promises is repeating itself now. Such unforgiveable disregard for the mining sector, workers’ lives and the economy must end immediately.
This is one more of those problems which have traditionally drawn the same response from all administrations, regardless of the political party in power. That means the entire political elite is equally responsible for this situation. And it is a crying shame that absolutely nothing is expected to change; no matter how many people work in inhuman conditions, how many lives are lost, and how much harm is done to infrastructure or even the economy. That’s why this matter can be expected to fade from the headlines, along with all the promises made by everybody, till the next mining disaster forces a repeat performance from the government.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
Comments
Comments are closed.