Duki Coal Mine Attack
QUETTA: More than 40,000 labourers have returned to their native areas following a devastating terrorist attack on coal mines in Duki, Balochistan, which occurred on October 11.
This tragic incident has sparked widespread insecurity among the miners, leading to a suspension of coal supply across the district, as confirmed by the local labour association on Saturday. In addition to the rising concerns over safety, mine owners have reportedly not cleared outstanding wages owed to the workers.
The attack, which took place in the early hours of October 11, involved unidentified armed assailants launching a deadly assault on coal mines using rockets.
The brutal attack resulted in the deaths of 20 miners, after the attackers assembled the workers in one location and opened fire on them.
The assailants also used hand grenades and set mining machinery ablaze, further intensifying the destruction. Local police confirmed the use of heavy weaponry in the attack, including hand grenades and rockets.
Haji Khairullah Nasir, the District Chairman and owner of the affected coal mines, revealed that there were ten coal mines in the area that had been targeted by the assailants. Along with the assault, the attackers destroyed vital mining equipment, further crippling the district’s mining operations.
According to the labour association, around 50,000 non-local labourers were previously employed across more than 1,200 coal mines in the district.
These workers were responsible for supplying approximately 150 trucks of coal daily to various regions, including Sindh, Punjab, and other parts of Balochistan. However, the suspension of coal operations has significantly impacted industrial production across the country.
Balochistan is home to more than 250 million tonnes of coal reserves, with over 80,000 labourers employed in 2,600 coal mines across the province. The Duki district alone was a major hub of coal supply, and the suspension has created a ripple effect in the country’s industrial sectors.
In response to the tragedy, the Balochistan government announced a compensation package of Rs1.5 million for the families of each miner killed in the Duki terrorist attack.
Despite this announcement, the labour association has highlighted that the families of the 20 miners who lost their lives, including six Afghan nationals, have yet to receive any compensation.
The delay in financial assistance has further compounded the suffering of the affected families, raising questions about the adequacy of support for workers in the region.
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