Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has extended condolences to his Pakistani counterpart Mamnoon Hussain over fatal blasts at two coal mines in southwestern Pakistan, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
Tajik leader also asked to convey his deep condolences to families and relatives of those who were killed by those blasts.
Media reports say at least 23 miners died Saturday at two coal mines in southwestern Pakistan.
Officials told media outlets that 16 people died when one mine collapsed after a buildup of methane gas lead to an explosion. At least seven others were killed in a landslide at a nearby mine. It's unclear if the two events are related.
Mine disasters are common in that region of Pakistan. The mines reportedly have a history of poor enforcement of safety regulations.
The Pakistan Central Mines Labor Federation told the BBC that an average of 200 miners die in mine disasters every year. More than 40 people died after a gas explosion in a Pakistan mine in 2011.
