Trapped miners saved after 9-hour rescue op

All Balochistan Mines and Minerals Association condemns rise in taxes

DUKI:

At least six miners trapped inside a coal mine in Chamalang area of Kohlu district were rescued after a nine hour operation on Wednesday.

According to sources within the police, the miners were trapped after a fire broke out inside the coal mine they were working in.

A rescue team from Quetta arrived at the scene on a helicopter whereas another reached by road in Chamalang and began the rescue operation that lasted approximately nine hours.

The colliers rescued included Muslim Shah, Mohammad Zaman, Abdul Aziz, Siddiqullah, Rozi Khan and Rahimullah.

Five miners belong to Upper Dir in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The mines department has sealed the mine and initiated an inquiry to ascertain the cause of the fire.

All the miners were grateful to be rescued alive as they thought it would be impossible to make it out alive.

The All Balochistan Mines and Minerals Association condemned the unfortunate incident and assured to take better precautionary measures.

On the other hand, they also protested the increase in taxes on mines and demanded special tax concessions to mine owners in Balochistan due to the danger posed to miners.

"The federal and provincial governments are pushing the industry towards a financial lockdown by imposing heavy taxes on mines which will lead to unemployment of thousands of people," the mine owners said. "If the government does not immediately withdraw the notification of the tax hike, we will be forced to protest across the country.”

While addressing the meeting, Mir Behroz Reki, Central President of All Pakistan Mines Owners Association said that the provincial government had increased the taxes to destroy the mining sector and to appease certain sections of society.

He highlighed how Balochistan was the poorest province as people here do not even have access to basic necessities of life.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2020.