SHANGLA: Two more coal miners from Shangla district have lost their lives in Darra Adam Khel, a tragedy that has once again exposed the continued loss of young lives in coal mines and the failure to prevent such incidents while the total figures reached 53 this year only.
The deceased have been identified as Zareen Taj, son of Fazal Karim, and Muhammad Qayyum, son of Muhammad Zaman. Their deaths have plunged the entire district into grief. According to information collected till October 2026, at least 53 young men from Shangla have died in coal mining accidents during this year alone.
These are not merely statistics but represent 53 families devastated by tragedy, reflecting a grave human crisis. Shangla, an underdeveloped district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is facing numerous challenges, but the persistent death of its youth in coal mines remains the most painful.
These accidents claim precious lives and leave behind parents, widows, and innocent children facing severe economic and social hardships. In most cases, the victim is the sole breadwinner of the family, and his death pushes the family into extreme poverty. Children are deprived of their fathers, and elderly parents are left without any support. The issue is no longer limited to a single family or village.
It has become a collective humanitarian and economic crisis for the entire district. For generations, the people of Shangla have depended on coal mining for their livelihoods, and according to local accounts, this dangerous cycle has now reached the fifth generation. Due to poverty, unemployment, and lack of industries in the district, young men are forced to work in dangerous mines far from home. Despite recurring deaths, the measures taken so far appear insufficient. There is an urgent need for joint efforts by the provincial and federal governments, relevant institutions, the corporate sector, and philanthropists.
The government should establish industries and factories in Shangla permanently to create alternative employment opportunities so that youth can earn a respectable livelihood in their own district. At the same time, effective safety measures must be ensured for coal miners through strict enforcement of safety laws, regular inspection of mines, and proper monitoring of working conditions.
The government is also urged to establish a permanent welfare system for the families of workers killed in mining accidents, particularly widows and orphaned children. Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, the Zakat and Ushr Department, the Benazir Income Support Programme, the Social Welfare Department and other institutions should work under a coordinated mechanism to provide financial assistance, educational support, healthcare and vocational training.
The continued deaths of Shangla’s young coal miners demand more than expressions of sorrow. They require immediate government attention, meaningful economic development and a comprehensive rehabilitation mechanism for bereaved families. Without practical and sustained action, more families will continue to suffer the devastating consequences of losing their loved ones in pursuit of a livelihood.
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