In Pakistan, coal is not merely a source of energy; it is also the only means of livelihood for thousands of impoverished families. Unfortunately, however, the price of this livelihood is being paid by many families with the lives of their young sons, brothers, fathers and husbands.
The recent explosion in a coal mine in Sorange, Balochistan, is yet another tragic reminder of this bitter reality. Thirty-four miners lost their lives in the incident, 28 of them belonging to the same village, Pir Abad, in Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
When the bodies of those 28 men arrived in Pir Abad, it was not merely a tragedy for 28 families. It was a question for the conscience of society as a whole: why has earning a livelihood for the poor become synonymous with repeatedly putting their lives at risk?
When the affected families in Pir Abad were interviewed, the same story emerged from every household: poverty, unemployment and the search for a better future.
Most of those who died were young men. Sufyan had only recently taken his matriculation examination and had gone to work in a coal mine to earn money for admission to college.
The words of Sufyan’s uncle capture the essence of this tragedy. He recalled speaking to Sufyan on the phone a day before the accident. He asked him why he had gone to the mine. Sufyan replied:
“Uncle, you are a labourer yourself and you know what poverty is. I have taken my examination, and I need money for admission to first year.”
It was the dream of a young man to continue his education. Yet Pakistan’s economic system pushed him not towards a classroom, but into a mine where he ultimately met his death.
The tragedy of another family in Pir Abad is even more heartbreaking. Four bodies were carried out of Farmanuddin’s household. His two brothers, a cousin and a nephew were among those killed in the accident.
He says that if people look honestly into their own hearts, they can begin to understand what such circumstances mean for a bereaved family.
Another painful aspect of the incident was that several families could not even have a final glimpse of their loved ones. The bodies arrived after prolonged delays, and many were so badly mutilated that identification and the last farewell became extremely difficult.
During the summer months, the condition of bodies deteriorating after 25 or 26 hours raises serious humanitarian as well as administrative questions that demand urgent attention.
But this is not the first such tragedy.
Since 2009, approximately 124 people from Pir Abad alone have lost their lives in various coal-mining accidents.
The question is: if one village is repeatedly forced to carry the coffins of its young men, can these incidents still be described merely as accidents-or are they evidence of a persistent economic and administrative crisis?
In Shangla, Livelihood Comes with the Risk of Death.
According to the All Pakistan Mines Federation, a large number of workers employed in coal mines come from Shangla. Employment opportunities in the region are extremely limited, industrial development is negligible, and poverty has forced people to travel hundreds of miles from their homes to work in dangerous mines.
According to local information, thousands of families in Shangla are directly or indirectly dependent on mining. A large number of people have been disabled as a result of mining accidents, while thousands of women have been forced into widowhood and children into orphanhood.
The greatest tragedy is that welfare mechanisms such as the Workers Welfare Fund, Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution, social security and benevolent funds appear to be extremely limited or ineffective in practice for these families.
If a worker loses his life, who will support his family? If a miner becomes disabled, who will be responsible for his children’s education, healthcare and future employment?
These are fundamental questions that the state must answer.
Working in a Mine-or Signing a Contract with Death?
Coal mining in Balochistan is regarded as one of the most difficult and dangerous occupations in the world. Mines can extend thousands of feet below the surface. Narrow tunnels, inadequate ventilation, outdated machinery, poor safety equipment and weak regulatory oversight constantly place miners’ lives at risk.
Methane gas is one of the major hazards in mining. Without adequate ventilation, the gas can cause suffocation, while even a small spark can trigger a devastating explosion.
The sudden collapse of a mine roof or wall is another ever-present danger.
According to the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation, at least 176 miners were killed and 180 injured in mining accidents in 2021, with around 100 of the fatalities occurring in Balochistan.
According to some experts, between 100 and 200 miners lose their lives in Pakistan every year in accidents that could be prevented through adequate safety measures.
These figures point to what is, in reality, a silent national crisis.
Where Are Workers’ Rights?
In November 2021, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan sent a fact-finding mission to examine the living and working conditions of labourers employed in Balochistan’s coal mines.
The assessment highlighted a range of problems, including working hours, wages, accommodation, safety arrangements and the right to form trade unions.
According to workers’ representatives, many miners work between 10 and 14 hours a day and receive monthly wages of approximately Rs30,000 to Rs60,000.
Despite these long working hours, basic safety facilities are often inadequate.
The absence of effective labour unions makes the situation even more complicated. Complaints have repeatedly emerged about so-called “pocket unions” in some mines-organisations allegedly influenced by mine management rather than genuinely representing workers.
When workers attempt to organise themselves to demand their legitimate rights, they may face the threat of dismissal or expulsion from the mine.
If workers are afraid even to speak up for their own safety, how can the safety system ever improve?
Child Labour: Another Tragedy
The employment of underage children in mining areas is another serious concern.
According to some reports, children from impoverished families in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan work in mining settlements from as young as 13.
Some children perform tasks such as preparing food for miners, while others become directly involved in the dangerous process of extracting coal.
At that age, children need education, recreation and a safe childhood. Instead, poverty pushes them into environments where, alongside accidents, they face other forms of exploitation.
This is not merely a matter of enforcing labour laws. It requires a comprehensive policy addressing poverty, education, employment and social protection.
Investigations Are Not Enough-Accountability Is Essential
Following the Sorange accident, the Balochistan government assigned the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team to investigate the incident. The Mines and Minerals Department also launched a departmental inquiry, and four mines were sealed.
These measures are important in themselves. But in Pakistan, announcing an inquiry after a major accident and sealing a few mines cannot be considered sufficient.
The real test will come when the investigation is completed, those responsible are held accountable and the recommendations are actually implemented.
If every accident is followed by the formation of a committee, the preparation of a report and, a few weeks later, the burial of the matter in official files, how can the cycle of accidents ever end?
The Solution Lies in Modern Technology and Effective Oversight
Pakistan is rich in mineral resources. Coal is used in brick kilns, cement factories and various energy projects.
Rather than abandoning the mining sector, the need of the hour is to make it modern, safer and more productive.
Around the world, mining is rapidly moving towards digitalisation. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, automated systems, sensors, real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making can help identify hazardous conditions in mines before they turn into disasters.
Pakistan should develop a comprehensive national digital roadmap for the mining sector.
This should include modern safety equipment, gas sensors, ventilation monitoring systems, emergency communication networks, digital registration, workers’ health and safety databases, and real-time reporting of accidents.
Modern simulators and digital training programmes should be introduced for miners and mining engineers.
Regular safety audits should be mandatory for every mine. In cases of violations, penalties should be accompanied by mine closures and criminal proceedings against responsible management where warranted.
Mineral Wealth-or Human Life?
The mineral resources found in Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan can become a major national economic asset.
But no mineral resource can become genuine national wealth unless the people extracting it are safe.
The Balochistan government’s proposal to further strengthen fines and penalties through the Health and Safety Act 2026 could be a positive step. But a law must not exist merely on paper; its presence must be felt deep inside the mines.
The 28 coffins carried through Pir Abad in Shangla remind us that poverty is not merely an empty pocket.
Sometimes poverty forces a person to risk his life simply to earn a living.
Sufyan wanted to go to college. He entered a mine to earn money for his education-and returned in a coffin.
This is not merely the death of Sufyan. It is also a profound question about whether the child of a poor Pakistani can obtain an education safely and build a better future.
The time has come to stop viewing coal mines merely through the statistics of production, profits and mineral wealth.
The life of every worker who descends into these mines must be treated as a national asset.
If Pakistan genuinely wants to derive economic benefit from its mineral wealth, it must invest simultaneously in three things:
People, technology and a transparent system of accountability.
Otherwise, the mines will continue producing coal, but after every explosion, coffins will continue to arrive in one village or another.
And villages like Pir Abad will remain not symbols of economic progress on Pakistan’s development map, but silent graveyards of the country’s working poor.
