Rescuers in Balochistan have concluded their search after recovering the final two miners trapped in a coal mine collapse near Quetta, bringing the death toll to 34. The methane gas explosion that triggered the disaster occurred on Thursday in the Sorange coalfield, roughly 30 kilometres northeast of the provincial capital. Main Developments Balochistan Chief Inspector of Mines Muhammad Atif confirmed on Saturday that all 34 bodies had been recovered, with the last two found after “hectic search efforts.” Earlier, 32 miners had been pulled from the rubble on Friday. Both mines were sealed once the operation ended, and a formal investigation has been ordered. Read also: Why Pakistan's Dams Are Nearing Capacity This Monsoon According to Atif, a team of mining experts has already begun probing the incident. The methane gas explosion not only caused a fire and collapse in the first mine but also affected a nearby mine, where the remaining miners were working. Of the total victims, 24 were stationed about 4,000 feet underground in the first mine, while the other ten were in the adjacent shaft. Background All 34 miners hailed from Shangla district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with 23 of them coming from the village of Pirabad alone. Abid Yaar, president of the Shangla Coal Mine Workers Association, said that Mian Kalay in Pir Abad has become an epicentre of repeated coal mine tragedies. The victims, aged between 17 and 25, were often cousins or close relatives from the same families. Yaar added that several of the deceased were orphans whose fathers had also died in previous coal mine accidents. This tragedy underscores a grim pattern in Balochistan, where deadly mine explosions are common and stakeholders frequently point to the absence of essential safety protocols. Coal mining has long carried hazards akin to natural disasters: suffocation, gas poisoning, roof collapse, rock bursts, gas explosions, and lung diseases such as incurable black lung disease. Why It Matters The loss of 34 young workers—many from the same families—highlights the human cost of inadequate safety measures in Pakistan's coal sector. The repeated tragedies in Pirabad illustrate how entire communities bear the burden of unsafe mining practices. The incident also raises urgent questions about enforcement of safety standards in Balochistan's mines, where explosions have become alarmingly routine. What's Next With the rescue operation complete, the probe by mining experts will determine the exact cause of the explosion and assess whether negligence played a role. The bodies of the deceased have been dispatched to their native villages in Shangla for burial. Sealing of the mines suggests operations there will remain suspended while the investigation proceeds, but no timeline for its completion has been announced.