The death toll from the coal mine collapse in Balochistan’s Sorange area has climbed to 34 after rescue teams recovered six more bodies from the site on Friday, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
Rescue officials said operations remain underway to reach the remaining miners believed to be trapped underground. Authorities have not yet confirmed how many workers are still missing.
According to the owner of the coal mine, 42 labourers were working inside the mine when the incident occurred. Initial investigations suggest the collapse was triggered by a methane gas explosion, one of the most common hazards in underground coal mining.
Family from Shangla Among Victims
The tragedy has devastated several families, including one from Shangla district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where three brothers and two cousins lost their lives.
The victims had travelled to Balochistan in search of daily-wage employment in the province’s coal mines, highlighting the economic hardships that drive workers to take high-risk jobs far from home.
Government Orders Investigation
Balochistan Minister for Mines and Minerals Mir Shoaib Nosherwani said a comprehensive investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the disaster.
He said the provincial government would review safety protocols across the mining sector to ensure stricter enforcement of occupational safety standards and prevent similar incidents in the future.
“All aspects of the incident will be thoroughly investigated, while safety arrangements in the mining sector are being reassessed to help prevent such tragedies in the future,” the minister said.
Coal Mine Accidents Remain a Persistent Challenge
Coal mine accidents continue to occur frequently in Balochistan and Sindh, where inadequate safety measures, poor ventilation, and weak enforcement of mining regulations have contributed to repeated fatal incidents.
Earlier this month, four labourers were killed and five others seriously injured after a wall collapsed inside the Ibrahim Coal Mines near Meting railway station in Sindh’s Thatta district.
The deceased in that incident were identified as Ziaullah (40), Noor Mohammad (51), Irfanullah (20)—all residents of Swat—and Saindad (41), a resident of Sanghar district.
The latest disaster in Sorange has once again renewed concerns over mine safety standards and the urgent need for stronger regulatory oversight to protect thousands of workers employed in Pakistan’s coal mining industry.
