– Four coal miners were killed while five others were injured on Sunday after a methane gas explosion triggered a mine collapse in in Shahrag, a government official said.

The blast took place in Shahrag, a mountainous town home to hundreds of coal mines in Balochistan’s Harnai district, located around 168 kilometers (104 miles) from the provincial capital of Quetta.

Muhammad Atif, the chief mine inspector at the provincial mining department, said six people were working inside a coal mine owned by the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) 800 feet deep when it collapsed due to an explosion.

“Four mine workers were killed and five were injured after the mine caved in due to a methane gas blast,” Atif told media.

He said the bodies and injured miners were recovered after a rescue operation that lasted for hours. Atif said two persons who suffered severe burn injuries were referred to Quetta for better treatment.

The official said the deceased miners belonged to the northwestern Swat district, adding that the bodies were shifted to their native villages for burial.

Dr Hadi Kakar, medical superintendent at Quetta’s Civil Hospital, said four patients of the Shahrag coal mine blast arrived at the hospital’s trauma center for treatment.

He said two patients reached the hospital in critical condition, with 80 and 90 percent severe burn injuries. They were being treated under careful supervision.

“Two other patients with minor injuries were discharged from the hospital after being given initial treatment,” Kakar added.

Meanwhile, Atif said the provincial mining department has demanded in writing an inquiry into the mine collapse to ascertain its causes.

 Foreign Secretary Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said Pakistan is taking additional responsibility under the Makkah Agreement as the situation in the Middle East continues to deteriorate.

Speaking in New York, Asim Iftikhar said Pakistan was playing a role in efforts to end the conflict in the Middle East and was seeking a peaceful solution in accordance with international law and United Nations principles.

He said Pakistan wanted a ceasefire, a reduction in tensions and the parties to be brought back to the negotiating table. He added that the UN Security Council Charter calls for disputes to be resolved through dialogue rather than war.

Asim Iftikhar said all three countries were part of the Makkah Agreement and Pakistan was taking on additional responsibility under the accord.

“We recognise that the situation is moving in a negative direction, and we understand that we have to play a role,” he said.

He said Pakistan’s objective was to promote peace and stability in the region. He added that the world had been watching developments in the Iran-US conflict and Pakistan was among the countries that had played a role in efforts concerning the conflict.

Asim Iftikhar said the conflicts in Palestine and Kashmir should be resolved in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions. He rejected the notion that the United Nations was not playing a role in promoting peace.

Pakistan’s diplomatic push comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Islamabad seeking to balance its commitments under the Makkah Agreement with its efforts to promote dialogue and de-escalation. 

In a tragic turn of events, two children died and their parents became ill after consuming curry that rescue workers feared became poisonous after a lizard dropped into it. However, a comprehensive investigation will determine the cause of the deaths.

According to rescue officials, two children in the Harbanspura neighborhood of this city died and their parents were admitted to the hospital on Sunday after allegedly consuming deadly food.

Police claim that after a couple and their two kids consumed leftover curry, potatoes, and cabbage, the incident happened. All four family members experienced severe health issues shortly after eating the meal.

After learning about the occurrence, rescue personnel arrived on the spot and took the afflicted family members to a local hospital for medical attention.