Shangla coalminers’ families worried for loved ones working in Mach Balochistan

SHANGLA: The coalminers’ families in Shangla have expressed great concern for their loved ones working at Mach area of Balochistan after the sectarian incident had taken place a week ago where 11 miners were killed by the militants, urging the government to protect the workers at Mach area of Balochistan from sectarian killings.
After the sectarian incident of killing 11 Hazara miners after verifying their identity cards at Mach area of Balochistan, the miner’ families back in Shangla have expressed a great concern for their brothers and sons fearing of targeting in sectarian-based militancy growing in the Balochistan areas as many miners from Shangla had been killed in Balochistan in the past.
Noor Khan of Pir Abad, Shangla, said his brothers and other family members had been working as collier at Mach area mines for the last some months but due to the recent sectarian incident he was worried for his brothers and relatives.
He said the mobile networks did not work at Mach areas coal fields and they spoke to them on Friday only when they come to the Mach bazaar and we all family members spoke to them today on [Friday] but he felt they were fearing due to the incident.
Rasheed Khan of Basi, Alpuri, told this correspondent that a number of his family members and relatives work in the coalmines at Mach, Balochistan and since the killing of Hazaras their families in a mental stress and worried for them.
“The coalfields everywhere are deserted and coalminers living there have not any security arrangements and they could be targeted by the sectarian militants. We want a security measures at the coalmine fields for the safety,” He said.
Muhammad Bashar, from Ghorband, said they appeal the government of Balochistan to ensure safety and security of their loved ones at their workplace because they had been to Balochistan for feeding families back in Shangla and each miner feed 10-30 family members.
He said they already received hundreds of dead bodies from the different parts of Pakistan whether killed or died in mines incidents, therefore government should take practical steps for the colliers lives.
Abdul Jabbar, a university student from Shangla, currently working at a coalmine at Mach, Balochistan, told this correspondent via phone that since the incident took place there was a fear among all of them.
He said coalminers who had been working at Mach were from Puran, Ghorband, Kana, Basi of Shangla and some of them were from the different areas of Dir district.
Abid Yaar, president of Shangla coalmine Workers Rights Association, said that three men had been killed in the district Shangla last year in 2020 and these miners had ever got into trouble due to the sectarian clashes and dispute of the local tribes over the mines.
“I have spoken to the several mines at Mach area who are now living in the mental stress after the incident because there was no police or other security arrangements for them at the mines sites,” He said the growing incident had also created unrest among the miners because the area was deserted and militants could succeed easily in their malicious motives.
The rights association president demanded of the government to must ensure safety and security of the miners at Balochistan and bordering areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa too.