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Tuesday, June 29, 1999 Published at 17:34 GMT 18:34 UK
World: South Asia
Momentum grows in mines protest
The owners of coal mines in southern Pakistan have received backing from provincial government MPs in their fight against a new federal sales tax.
More than 200 mines in Pakistan's largest province, Baluchistan, have been closed down as part of the protest against an 18% sales tax imposed on coal mines.
The provincial assembly passed a unanimous resolution asking the federal government to withdraw the tax to save miners from unemployment.
About 40,000 miners and thousands of other workers have been affected by the closures, which began five days ago.
Some of the workers have been staging protests against the decision to close the mines.
Ailing industry
During the debate on the resolution members from both sides of the assembly criticised the federal government for imposing the tax on an already ailing industry.
Local government ministers promised that talks expected next week with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the issue would bear fruit.
The BBC's Haroon Rashid in the provincial capital, Quetta, says the resolution is expected to strengthen the position of the provincial government in the negotiations.
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