Senate panel concerned over coalmine workers’ plight

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights Tuesday expressed concern over grave negligence in the mining sector and also over the safety, security and rights of coal mine workers in Balochistan and called for urgent reforms and immediate provision of ambulances, first-aid supplies, and trained emergency responders.

The committee met there with Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri in the chair.

The committee deliberated upon critical legislative business encompassing child protection, disability rights, and rights of minorities along with safety, security and rights of coal mine workers in Balochistan.

The committee also received a detailed briefing on the safety, security, compensation, rights of mine workers and the recent militant attacks targeting mine workers in province.

Officials outlined current intelligence operations and heightened security protocols. The briefing covered the identification of mines in core operational areas, including both public and private coal mines, and shared employment statistics.

It was noted that despite the existence of safety regulations such as underground inspections and protections against weak strata and coal dust, enforcement remained weak.

Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri voiced strong concerns over the department’s operational capacity, questioning its ability to assess field conditions given its lack of basic resources, such as fuel, vehicles, and staff.

She highlighted harrowing reports of local seminaries refusing to perform funeral rites, noting this was a serious reflection of systemic neglect. She added that broken safety equipment, such as ropes, further demonstrated lack of seriousness about worker welfare.

Senator Zehri stated, “Institutions are being held accountable for these failures. The poor, who power the economy, are denied even the most basic rights.”

Representatives from department concerned also echoed these concerns, pointing to a critical absence of emergency infrastructure, including ambulances, rescue tools, and personal protective equipment.

Questions were raised about delayed compensation for the deceased workers, mine operations continuing despite safety breaches, and ineffectiveness of current inspection systems.

The committee called for urgent reforms, demanding immediate provision of ambulances, first-aid supplies, and trained emergency responders.

Senator Zehri recommended that 100% registration of mine workers be completed by December 2025 and that all workers be issued formal employment contracts.

She emphasized that such documentation was essential to prevent employers from disowning responsibilities in cases of injury or death.

She concluded by stating that the matter would be taken up in the next meeting and directed departments to submit all relevant documentation to the authorities, along with a comprehensive report addressing the Committee’s observations.

The meeting commenced with discussion on two bills moved by “The National Commission on the Rights of Child (Amendment) Bill, 2023” and the “ICT Rights of Persons with Disability (Amendment) Bill, 2024.”

The mover voiced grave concern over the unchecked proliferation of unregulated orphanages and custodial homes where vulnerable children, particularly girls, are exposed to abuse, often shielded by powerful individuals.

She called for urgent legislative reforms to ensure child protection in such institutions.

The Chairperson of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC) informed the committee that the commission functions in an advisory role and lacks executive powers, though it frequently conducts inspections and inquiries. She emphasized the need for statutory support to improve data collection and policy enforcement.

She supported the bill’s objectives, stressing the importance of legal empowerment of institutions through improved data access and strengthened mandates.