Civil society calls for compensation for families of slain coal miners

LEAs, labour dept have failed to protect workers, say rights activists

Labour leaders, civil society and human rights activists demanded on Monday that the authorities pay Rs1.5 million in compensate to the families of the 11 coal miners, who were killed in a terror attack in Mach area of Balochistan a day prior.

The government should intensify and ensure occupational safety of mineworkers at workplaces across the country, said Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research Executive Director Karamat Ali in a joint statement issued on Monday.

Other signatories included National Trade Union Federation General-Secretary Nasir Mansoor, Home-based Women Workers Federation General-Secretary Zehra Khan, Aurat Foundation's Mahnaz Rahman, among others.

The signatories demanded foolproof security for people of the Hazara community in Balochistan.

"Hazaras of Balochistan have been targeted by terrorists for years and many people of this community have lost lives in a number of terrorist activities of bomb blasts, firings and target killings," said the statement.

The labour and civil society representatives expressed serious concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan and the unavailability of proper security at the mines.

They maintained that the provincial labour department had failed to ensure the security of the miners, adding that the law enforcement agencies were also unable to keep them safe.

They also demanded the arrest of the terrorists who were responsible for the massacre and strict action against their operators.

There should be a speedy trial of the responsible terrorists belonging to Da'ish and Al-Qaeda after their arrest to provide justice to the affected families, read the statement.

The Islamic State, also known as Da'ish, had claimed responsibility for the attack on the coal miner's through its Amaq news agency via its Telegram communications channel. All the victims belonged to the Hazara community of Quetta.