Illegal blasting blamed for 34 miner deaths

The official investigation into the tragic coal mine disaster that claimed 34 lives two months ago in Sur Range on the outskirts of Quetta has finally been made public. The report by the Chief Minister Inspection Team (CMIT) and other agencies squarely blames the use of illegal explosives, systematic violation of safety laws and the criminal negligence of the mine management for the deaths. According to the inquiry findings, physical evidence at the site, including drill holes in hard rock, confirms that the accident was caused by underground blasting. The Sardar Muhammad Usman Khan Jogezai Coal Company, which operates Mine No1, held no licence whatsoever to store or use explosives, nor did it employ any trained blasting expert. Investigators found clear breaches of Regulations 97 and 99 of the Coal Mines Regulations 1926. The mine owner, manager and mine sardar were fully aware that explosives were being used underground yet failed to inform the relevant authorities, an omission the report describes as criminal failure of the administration. The report also exposes serious violations of Sections 26-A and 26-B of the Mines Act 1923, which prohibit the employment of anyone under the age of 17 in mines. Identity documents of the deceased reveal that six of the victims were under 18 years of age; two of them were younger than 17. The underage miners identified are Ziaullah (16 years three months), Rahmat Ali (16 years four months), Abu Sufyan (17 years two months), Shabirullah (17 years three months), Abu Zar (17 years three months) and Muteeur Rahman (17 years seven months). Despite extracting coal valued at more than two billion rupees from the mine over the past three years, the company denied workers basic facilities. Miners lacked clean drinking water, proper housing and registration with the Employees' Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI). Even more damning is the revelation that serious safety deficiencies had already been flagged before the disaster. Inspectors had noted a critical shortage of timber supports and the presence of dangerous levels of coal dust, yet the owners completely ignored these warnings. Of the 34 workers who perished, 33 belonged to District Shangla in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; the majority came from a single village. The tragedy tore through one family particularly hard: three brothers and their uncle were among the dead. The findings paint a stark picture of systemic failure, illegal practices, exploitation of child labour, neglect of basic safety measures and a complete disregard for the lives of the men who risked everything underground. The report is expected to form the basis for further legal and administrative action against those responsible.