DUKI, Pakistan — Outrage and grief engulfed the town of Duki, Balochistan, as thousands of protesters took to the streets following a deadly attack on local coal miners. Late Thursday night, 20 coal miners were brutally killed and several others injured when armed assailants stormed the Junaid coal mine. Authorities report that the attackers used heavy weaponry, including grenades and rocket launchers, significantly damaging both lives and infrastructure.
The community’s response was swift and visible, with demonstrators marching through the town carrying the bodies of the slain workers, demanding justice and calling for immediate government action to apprehend the perpetrators. The protests highlighted the broader issue of safety in the mining sector, underscoring the risks workers face in an industry critical to the region’s economy.
Local police officer Humayoun Nasar noted that security forces responded quickly, managing the rescue operations and securing the site shortly after the attack. The collaboration between police and levies forces was crucial in providing immediate assistance and transferring critically injured miners to nearby medical facilities. With the situation tense, additional security forces were dispatched to maintain order and prevent further violence.
The aftermath saw severely injured individuals rushed to Loralai Tehsil Headquarters Hospital for necessary treatment. Some were moved to major hospitals in Quetta due to the severity of their injuries, including four particularly grave cases, as reported by Waseem Baig, spokesman for Quetta Civil Hospital.
Victims of the onslaught were predominantly workers from Pakistan, with several Afghan nationals among the casualties. This has prompted a bi-national cooperation in the ongoing investigations and recovery efforts, highlighting the interconnected concerns of labor and security across regional borders.
Balochistan’s Chief Minister, Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, expressed his condemnation of the acts, labeling them as terrorist in nature. His commitment to justice was palpable as he assured that no stone would be left unturned in bringing the criminals to justice. Similarly, intense reactions came from various quarters including political entities and provincial leaders, all unified in their denouncement of the barbaric acts and in their calls for swift legal action.
The responsibility for the investigation has been handed over to the Counter Terrorism Department which has already initiated proceedings with the filing of an FIR. The heightened security arrangements now extend to other mining sites throughout Balochistan, a region that continues to grapple with challenges of violence and precarious working conditions.
This tragedy has once again cast a spotlight on the perilous state of coal mining in Balochistan, where the combination of militant activity and minimal safety standards form a lethal nexus. The agony of the town is palpable with voices like that of Haji Allah Noor Nasar, who sharply criticized the provincial government’s failure to secure the lives and property of its citizens. This incident not only stirs profound local and national grief but also calls into question the effectiveness of existing security measures in safeguarding vulnerable workers.
The response from political parties across the spectrum has been one of solidarity and sorrow, with entities from PKMAP to JUI-F condemning the violence and advocating for more robust protective measures. As the town of Duki mourns, the collective demand for answers, accountability, and heightened protection echoes through the streets, resonating a cry for justice that promises to reverberate until change is realized.