‘Inadequate’: Families of dead coal miners reject Rs400,000 compensation

Families of 32 coal miners killed in a blast at a Quetta coal mine have refused to accept compensation cheques worth Rs400,000 each, saying the amount was inadequate for their losses.

The Workers Welfare Fund Balochistan brought the cheques for distribution at a ceremony held at the district hall in Alpuri, Shangla, on Friday.

The heirs of the victims from three villages were expected to receive the payments.

The ceremony was disrupted after the families declined to take the cheques.

Afsarul Mulk Afghan, who represented the miners’ families, said that the compensation was insufficient, accusing the Balochistan government of attempting to reopen what he described as an “illegal” mine.

“The Balochistan government is trying to reopen the closed mine,” he said, adding that the Rs400,000 payments were intended to facilitate the reopening of the mine.

“If the cheques are from the government of Balochistan, we cannot accept them,” Mr Afghan said.

He also accused the provincial government of forcing workers from Shangla to work in unsafe coal mines, saying that the deaths had left their families devastated.

He attributed the rising number of fatal coal mine incidents to negligence and compromises over workers’ safety.

Mr Afghan said paying Rs400,000 to the families amounted to deceiving them and did not adequately recognise the loss of their relatives.

Workers Welfare Fund Secretary Zulfiqar Ahmad, officials of the fund, Shangla Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Khan, MPA Rashad Khan and others attended the ceremony.

Later, the deputy commissioner and MPA assured the families that they would work to protect miners through legislation, policy and enforcement of existing laws.

Mr Khan told media that the families had repeatedly been informed that the cheques had been issued by the Workers Welfare Fund, rather than the Balochistan government, but remained suspicious of the payments.

He claimed that some members of the association were attempting to politicise the matter.

The deputy commissioner said that he had custody of all 32 cheques and would hand them over to the families within a couple of days.