BY: SALAHUDDIN SALARZAI
ORAKZAI: Three coal miners from Shangla District died in a poisonous gas leak at Jungle Lease Mine No. 3 in Kreez area of Orakzai tribal district on Saturday. The incident occurred when a sudden explosion rocked the coal mine due to gas leakage. Despite immediate response from locals, police and rescue teams, the miners could not be saved.
Authorities confirmed the tragedy resulted from inadequate safety measures. The victims were identified as Raheem Ullah, Aslam Khan and Sher Rehman, all residents of Shangla district. After funeral prayers, their bodies were transported to their native area.
The tragedy has reignited demands for stricter mine safety regulations and a ban on illegal mining operations. This incident highlights Pakistan’s dangerous mining sector where approximately 5,000 operational mines employ 300,000 workers while contributing just 3% to GDP.
The sector’s appalling conditions force miners to work with prehistoric methods despite billions earned in revenue. Workers lack basic amenities like clean water, proper housing and medical facilities. Shangla district bears disproportionate suffering – with 30,000 widows and 80,000 orphans among its 700,000 population due to mining tragedies.
According to SAMWA, a mine safety monitoring organization, Shangla receives about 300 miners’ bodies annually from accidents, diseases and terrorism. Another 50 workers suffer permanent disabilities each year, with nearly all experiencing serious injuries. Mine owners provide only Rs. 500,000 compensation per death, while government welfare funds fail to deliver promised support despite collecting Rs. 46.5 billion in deposits.
This tragedy echoes Pakistan’s 1923 Labour Laws violations, where safety remains neglected despite the sector’s economic contributions. The latest deaths add to approximately 400 worker fatalities reported in recent years across 160 incidents nationwide.
