More Pakistani miners killed

26 August- Two miners were killed with poisonous gas at m/s. Ilyas Coal CO Dara Adam Khail. Miners were identified as Said Jan and Ihsanullah Ayoub died due to poisonous gas during their duties.

23 August- One miner died in Shargh Coal Mines area due to a landslide.

22 August- Another miner, Khanzaib, died after a roof collapsed in Kosar Coal Co Punjab Taila.

A large number of workers are forced to work more than ten hours a day without any adequate safety equipment. Labour unions stress that this is a clear violation of Pakistan’s labour laws. First respondents to accidents are usually other mine workers because there is no access to well-equipped emergency response teams.

The Pakistan Mines Labour Federation (PCMLF) estimates that between 250-300 mine workers lose their lives, every year. PCMLF says that hundreds of coal mines operate unregulated with unsafe conditions. The miners have also faced targeted attacks by unidentified gunmen.

International labour groups including IndustriALL has extensively supported regional federations in their demand that safety standards under ILO Convention 176 need to be implemented.

PCMLF demand that proper equipment and health and safety regulations should be implemented and trainers training for workers.

Pakistan’s National Commission for Human Rights in its report titled, Death in Mines: A Report on Coal Mines in Balochistan, has highlighted the ineffectiveness of the concerned departments due to political pressures, and underscored the need to curb or minimize the accidents on priority.

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