Peshawar, The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has issued a pressing call for the enforcement of enhanced safety protocols for coal miners, following an investigation into the deaths of three workers at a mine in Darra Adam Khel, Kohat, on 20 October 2023. The inquiry revealed a significant disregard for occupational safety standards, leading to these fatalities and highlighting broader systemic issues within the sector.
According to Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the fact-finding mission, which included visits to the site of the incident and another mine within the same district without a history of accidents, uncovered a series of critical safety lapses. Interviews with mine workers, union leaders, local healthcare providers, and the chief inspector of the provincial minerals development department revealed a disturbing lack of compliance with essential safety measures. Notably, workers were found to be without necessary protective gear and were largely uninformed about standard mining safety procedures. The mission also noted poor accident record-keeping and the alarming inadequacy of nearby medical facilities, factors that exacerbate the risk to miners’ health and safety.
The HRCP’s investigation pointed out the failure to implement the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mines Safety, Inspection and Regulation Act 2019 effectively at the sites visited. Recommendations from the mission include amending the legislation to better align with the operational realities of mine management, ensuring rigorous documentation of mining practices, and enforcing adherence to established safety protocols. Additionally, the HRCP urges the government to guarantee formal registration, contracting, and training for all coal mine workers, alongside fair compensation and improved working conditions. The commission also advocates for Pakistan to ratify the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention C176, which focuses on the safety and health of mine workers, to secure a regulated environment with strictly enforced safety measures for the coal mining industry.
This call to action by the HRCP highlights an urgent need for systemic reforms to protect coal miners in Pakistan from preventable harm and uphold their rights to safe working conditions.