IndustriALL Global Union

01/14/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 01/14/2025 06:31

15 coal miners killed in Pakistan

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14 January, 2025In the first two weeks of 2025, 15 miners have been killed in Pakistan's coalfields. The absence of adequate safety mechanisms are behind the grim start of the year for the country's miners.

On 9 January, 12 miners were buried under tonnes of debris when a methane gas explosion caused a collapse at a coal mine in the Sanjdi area of Balochistan. Rescue efforts took four days to retrieve workers' bodies. According to regional news reports, the mines and minerals department is taking legal action against the mine owner for not ensuring adequate workplace safety measures.

On 11 January, a mudslide in Duki coalfield claimed one mine worker's life.

A coal mine collapsed in Balochistan's Harnai district on 12 January, killing two miners and trapping six others, who were later rescued.

Every year, Pakistan's mines claim workers' lives due to poor gas and flood warnings, inadequate lighting, lack of training, first-aid centres and doctors close to mines, as well as a lack of supervision, worsened by weak implementation of safety laws by government authorities. In addition, occupational diseases such as silicosis, lung fibrosis, lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma remain largely ignored, often leading to fatalities or permanent disability.

These are not stand-alone incidents but a recurring phenomenon in Balochistan's coal-rich areas. According to IndustriALL affiliates in Pakistan, at least 190 coal miners were killed in 2024 in workplace incidents. The exact figures are probably to be higher due to under-reporting.

Mining unions, including IndustriALL affiliates and the Pakistan United Workers Federation, have repeatedly urged the government of Pakistan to enforce safety protocols and improve access to healthcare for miners.

Kemal Özkan, IndustriALL assistant general secretary, says:

"IndustriALL strongly condemns the tragic loss of coal miners' lives, a direct result of the persistent lack of proper safety measures. Structural reforms, enhanced safety protocols and accountability at all levels are urgently needed. Without immediate action, miners will continue to die in preventable accidents, leaving countless families devastated. We call on the government of Pakistan to urgently ratify ILO Convention 176, a critical step toward ensuring safe and secure working conditions for coal miners."