QUETTA: In a stark reminder of the perilous conditions faced by laborers in Balochistan’s mining sector, two miners were killed on Thursday following a sudden mudslide inside a coal mine in the Shahrag area. The incident has once again cast a grim spotlight on the chronic issues of safety and regulation in the region’s extensive but often hazardous coal mining industry.
According to rescue and local sources, the tragedy struck without warning when an unexpected section of earth collapsed within the mine’s tunnels. The mudslide buried miners identified as Saryal and Shah Baig under heavy debris, leaving them with no chance of escape. Fellow miners, demonstrating immense courage amid the danger, launched a desperate recovery operation. They managed to retrieve the bodies of their colleagues from the wreckage and subsequently transported them to a nearby local hospital.
At the hospital, official medico-legal formalities were completed. Following these standard procedures, the remains of the deceased were handed over to their grieving families, who now must bear the immense emotional and financial burden of the loss. The community in Shahrag, heavily reliant on mining for livelihood, has been plunged into mourning, facing the all-too-familiar reality of occupational hazard turning fatal.
This latest accident adds to a long and distressing list of mining disasters in Balochistan, where small-scale, privately owned mines frequently operate with minimal safety infrastructure and oversight. Experts and labor rights activists have repeatedly called for stringent enforcement of safety protocols, modern equipment, and comprehensive training for workers to prevent such recurrent loss of life. The provincial government has often pledged to overhaul the sector, but implementation on the ground remains a significant challenge.
For now, the focus remains on the bereaved families of Saryal and Shah Baig, whose lives were cut short in the depths of the earth. The incident underscores an urgent need for action to ensure that the pursuit of livelihood does not continue to come at the cost of human life in Balochistan’s rugged terrain.
