Balochistan’s 4,500 coal mines have become hazardous due to inadequate safety measures, leading to around 900 coal miners losing their lives in accidents caused by mine collapses over the past decade.
More than 44,000 workers are employed across these mines, many lacking modern safety equipment. The absence of ventilators and exhaust pipes in local coal mines exposes workers to poisonous gases, resulting in fatalities and long-term health issues for survivors.
Read more: FC Balochistan Foils Smuggling Deal Worth Rs380 Million
Akhtar Mohammad, a collier, highlighted the dire conditions inside the mines, where congestion contributes to kidney damage and frequent ailments. Dental health is also adversely affected.
Balochistan’s Department of Minerals officials report an annual coal extraction of 40 to 50 million tonnes from these mines.
In the past decade, 900 miners have died in 600 incidents, with 46 fatalities in 21 accidents in 2024 alone.
Chief Inspector of Mines Abdul Ghani credited the provincial government’s stricter safety regulations for reducing accident rates.
Balochistan government spokesman Shahid Rand noted pending legal cases against coal mine owners for violating safety protocols.
