ALPURI: The bodies of 32 coalminers killed in a devastating mine accident in Balochistan’s Spin Karez (Sorange) area on the outskirts of Quetta reached Shangla on Friday.
Officials said a total of 34 miners from Shangla lost their lives in Thursday’s accident. They added that the transportation of the remaining two bodies and completion of legal formalities were still underway.
Most of the deceased belonged to Pirabad, Daulat Kallay, Beley Baba and other nearby villages in the Shangla district. The arrival of dozens of coffins in a single day left families devastated, with emotional scenes witnessed across the district. The deceased were laid to rest at ancestral graveyards after offering collective funeral prayers.
Special prayers were offered for the victims and the bereaved families during Friday congregations, while protest demonstrations were held after the prayers, demanding better protection and legal rights for coalminers.
The tragedy occurred when 34 miners from Shangla were working thousands of feet underground in a coal mine in Sorange.According to reports, a large section of the mine collapsed after poisonous gas accumulated inside, trapping the workers.
Rescue teams launched an operation, but the presence of toxic gas, darkness and extremely difficult underground conditions hampered their efforts.Some of the bodies were recovered on Friday morning after hours of rescue work, and dispatched to their hometowns.
Heart-rending scenes were witnessed as ambulances carrying the bodies entered their villages. Wailing relatives, grieving women and children searching for their fathers, brothers and uncles created an atmosphere of profound sorrow.
In several households, more than one body arrived, compounding the tragedy for the affected families.Among the victims were three brothers and their uncle, who had been working in the coal mines to support their families. The tragedy deprived several families of their sole breadwinners, leaving numerous women widowed and dozens of children orphaned.
Protests were staged in different parts of the district, with demonstrators calling for improved safety measures in coal mines, mandatory registration of miners, social security, Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) coverage, life insurance, and permanent financial support for the affected families.
Political leaders, social activists, religious scholars, journalists, traders and members of civil society expressed profound grief over the tragedy and offered condolences to the bereaved families.
They urged the government to take immediate and effective measures to ensure the safety of coal miners working in Balochistan and to enforce labour protection laws.Speakers at various gatherings said a large section of Shangla’s population depends on coal mining for its livelihood, yet miners continue to work without basic legal protections, registration, insurance, social security or EOBI benefits.They added that most miners are employed through contractors and private leaseholders, leaving their families without adequate compensation in the event of fatal accidents.
