KARAK: Salt mine workershere onMonday observed a strike to demand payment of death and casualty grants and provision of safety gears at the workplace.

United Worl
Addressing miners at Karat area, they blamed the lease holders for exploiting the poor labourers.

The miners` leaders alleged that death claims of the deceased miners were still pending, saying the workers put their lives in great danger while at work as they were not provided with safety gadgets inside the mines.

They regretted that compensation amounts had not yet been paid to relatives of some deceased workers, saying the injured labourers were deprived of treatment in government hospitals.

They said even the ambulance facility was not available to take the injured miners to hospital in case of any emergency.They said the roads leading to the mines were also in dilapidated condition and needed immediate repair.

They also demanded payment of marriage grants to the labourers.

The workers` leaders said the lease holders were least bothered to visit the mines to get firsthand information regarding the problems of the miners.

SHOT DEAD: A man was killed and his three friends sustained critical injuries when unknown attackers opened fire on their car on the Indus Highway here.

Police said on Monday that four friends were going in a car when unidentified armed men opened indiscriminate fire on their car near the industrial estate, as a result, they sustained critical injuries and were immediately shifted to district headquarters hospital, Karak. But one of the injured identified as Ihsanullah, a retired police official, resident of Warana, was pronounced dead.

The accused managed to escape the scene.

Police termed the incident a result of an old enmity.

However, they registered the case and began investigations.