Mining accident in Shigar claims two lives

GILGIT: At least two people were killed and one injured in a tragic mining accident in the Chorka Nullah area of Shigar district, a spokesperson for the Gilgit-Baltistan government confirmed on Wednesday.

According to spokesperson Faizullah Faraq, the victims, Ali son of Hassan from Sigaldu Chorka, and Imtiaz Hussain son of Inayat from Thundoro Yunno Alchodi, were found buried under a mound of earth. Their bodies were later handed over to their families after the completion of necessary medico-legal formalities by the police.

The injured person is reportedly stable and out of danger.

However, sources in the local police were unsure about the exact cause of the accident, stating that investigations are ongoing.

The initial report compiled by the police also featured conflicting accounts from locals.

Informing about the initial report, police sources said some locals claimed that the victims were grazing cattle in the area when a rockfall occurred, while others suggested that the men were engaged in mining when rocks, dislodged by blasting, caused the fatal collapse.

The authorities have launched a probe to ascertain the exact cause of the incident.

It may be added here that materials buried in earth are mined at a large scale in Shigar and other areas of GB, including precious gemstones.

The gemstones mined in Shigar include goshenite, aquamarine, garnet, tourmaline, apatite, zoisite, topaz, clinozoisite, axinite, and fluorite. However, the export of these valuable stones could not grow beyond a few million dollars due to the obsolete technology being used in mining, cutting, and finishing raw stones.

Locals were of the view that the government do not pay much attention to the mining industry which not only results into fatal accidents but also causes financial loss to the region.

In this connection, the federal government announced in August to launch a pilot project in GB to revamp the stone industry by introducing cutting-edge mining and finishing technology as well as providing business and export facilities.