OPINION: Coalmine tragedies in Balochistan

Coalmining remains a vital industry in Pakistan, providing livelihoods to thousands and contributing significantly to the nation’s energy supply. In Balochistan alone, there are thousands of small coalmines and a limited number in other provinces, mostly operated by private firms. However, this economic contribution comes at an immense human cost, as deplorable working conditions and weak regulatory oversight continue to endanger lives.

It is estimated that about 42,000 miners are employed across 3,491 coalmines spread over six districts of Balochistan, producing thousands of tons of coal daily. Yet, hundreds of these workers lose their lives or suffer permanent injuries each year, while countless others develop chronic respiratory and skeletal diseases due to unsafe environments.

Tragically, the year 2025 has been no exception. From January to October alone, at least 53 mining accidents occurred across Balochistan’s coalfields, killing nearly 100 workers and injuring over 200 others. The real figures are likely higher due to chronic underreporting.

In January alone, 15 miners lost their lives in three separate incidents. On January 9, a methane gas explosion caused the collapse of the Sheikh Uzair Mine in the Sanjdi area near Quetta, killing 12 miners. Around the same time, a mudslide in Duki District, the hub of coal mining activities, claimed one life, while on January 12, two miners were killed in a structural collapse at a mine in Khost, Harnai District. Further tragedies followed. On February 23, another collapse in the Khost area killed one miner and injured several others. On March 20, another 12 miners lost their lives when a mine caved in nearly 240 metres underground, trapping many workers.

On July 22, a landslide struck the Miraj coalfields in Duki, killing three workers and leaving three others missing. In late July, at the Jan-Sher Swati mine in Harnai, six miners were burnt to death in a gas explosion, and two miners were killed at a coalmine in Duki area. A month later, on August 26, a blast in the Degari coalfield, Mach area of Bolan District, led to the suffocation deaths of three miners. More recently, on October 18–19, four miners died in two separate incidents due to toxic methane gas buildup—two in Duki and two in Chamlang, another key coal-mining location.

These recurring tragedies highlight the hazardous conditions under which miners work and the glaring neglect of mine safety in Pakistan. Despite the existence of provincial legislation—such as the Balochistan Occupational Safety and Health Act 2022 and the Balochistan Factories (Amendment) Act 2021—enforcement remains grossly inadequate. Institutions like the Department of Mines, and the Mines & Minerals Development Department, responsible for ensuring miners’ welfare and safety, have consistently failed to discharge their duties effectively. The absence of inspections, coupled with corruption and poor accountability, has allowed unsafe practices to persist unchecked.

Historically, Pakistan’s mining sector in Balochistan has been marred by major disasters. In March 2011, a series of methane gas explosions occurred in a mine in Sor-Range District, which killed 45 workers, while in May 2018 in two separate but simultaneous mine collapses in Sanjdi and Marwar claimed 23 lives. These are not isolated events but part of a continuing pattern of negligence. The leading causes remain methane gas accumulation, poor ventilation, obsolete extraction methods, and the non-availability of modern safety equipment such as gas detection and fire suppression systems.

A key underlying factor is the failure to adopt and enforce international safety standards. Pakistan has yet to ratify the International Labour Organisation’s Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (C-176), which sets comprehensive safety and health requirements for the mining sector. Despite repeated appeals from the Pakistan Mine Workers Federation, the All-Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions, and international labour bodies, no progress has been made since Pakistan expressed its intent to ratify C-176 in early 2023. Resistance largely stems from fears that compliance would raise operational costs, but such arguments pale in comparison to the mounting human toll.

Regardless of ratification status, all ILO member states are bound to promote safe and healthy working conditions. Pakistan’s continued disregard for these obligations reflects a serious lapse in both governance and corporate responsibility. Beyond regulatory failures, deep-rooted socio-economic factors also perpetuate exploitation. Most miners come from marginalised communities, often working informally for meagre wages without contracts, insurance, or access to healthcare. The Balochistan Workers Compensation Act 2022, though enacted, remains ineffectively implemented—leaving victims’ families destitute after accidents.

The consequences are profound. Families lose their primary breadwinners, plunging into poverty and despair. Emotional trauma and financial instability compound the suffering, while the broader industry’s reputation deteriorates—discouraging further investments and technology partnerships that could otherwise modernise operations and improve safety.

A comprehensive overhaul of the mining sector is therefore imperative. The government must ensure strict enforcement of safety regulations and penalise violations without exception. Investment in modern equipment—gas monitoring systems, proper ventilation, fire suppression, and rescue facilities—is essential. Regular safety training and certification programmes should be made mandatory for both mine owners and workers.

Learning from global best practices offers a path forward. Countries such as Australia and South Africa have drastically reduced mining fatalities through rigorous enforcement, continuous monitoring, and technological innovation. Pakistan must align itself with such standards, ratify ILO conventions, and integrate global safety protocols into national legislation. Simultaneously, welfare schemes for miners and their families—covering insurance, compensation, and healthcare—must be institutionalised to provide a social safety net in the event of disasters.

The continuing tragedies in Balochistan’s coalmines are not isolated misfortunes but symptoms of a systemic failure. Rectifying this situation requires political resolve, corporate accountability, and an unwavering commitment to human life. Until that happens, Pakistan’s miners will remain trapped in a cycle of preventable suffering—digging coal for the nation’s energy, while paying with their own lives.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025