Unions point to dangerous working conditions as the main cause of accidents in resource-rich Balochistan.
At least 12 miners have been killed in a gas explosion at a coal mine in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province.
The explosion at the private Harnai shaft in the Khost mining region occurred late on Tuesday, leaving workers trapped about 240 meters (800 feet) underground in the subsequent collapse. Rescuers worked through the night and recovered the bodies of the 12 miners on Wednesday.
Eight people trying to rescue their companions were also trapped for several hours. They were later taken to safety (some of them unconscious) by a government rescue team.
Abdullah Shahwani, Balochistan's director general of mining, confirmed the death toll on Wednesday and said the incident was caused by methane gas, a common cause of accidents in Pakistan's coal-rich western areas.
Initially, only 10 miners were thought to be trapped when the mine, located about 80 kilometers (50 miles) east of the provincial capital, Quetta, collapsed.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed “deep sorrow and grief over the loss of precious lives.”
Fatal incidents are not uncommon in Pakistan's mines, known for their dangerous working conditions and poor safety standards.
In May 2018, 23 people were killed and 11 injured after gas explosions ripped through two neighboring coal mines in resource-rich Balochistan, Pakistan's largest but poorest province.
A total of 43 workers also died in 2011 when gas explosions caused another coal mine in Balochistan to collapse.
“This incident is neither the first nor will it be the last in Balochistan,” said Lala Sultan, president of the Balochistan Coal Mine Workers Federation.
“There are hardly any safety measures applied in coal mines. While other provinces have some safety protocols in place, in Balochistan the safety is completely neglected.”
