Deprivation of Indigenous People of Ghotki in the Fertiliser Industry.

There is something profoundly paradoxical about a land that produces enormous wealth while its own people continue to struggle for the most elementary necessities of life. Ghotki, a resource-rich district of Sindh, Pakistan, presents precisely this contradiction. Blessed with natural gas, agricultural potential and other valuable natural resources, the district has become an important centre of industrial activity. The establishment of large fertiliser manufacturing companies, particularly in and around Daharki, has transformed its economic landscape and contributed significantly to Pakistan’s agricultural and industrial development. These companies generate substantial revenues, support agricultural production and occupy an important position in the national economy. Yet, beneath this impressive industrial growth lies a deeply troubling question: Why do the indigenous people of Ghotki remain deprived of the opportunities and prosperity that the resources of their own land help generate?

This is not merely a question of employment or corporate responsibility; it is a question of economic justice, human dignity, social equality and the rights of indigenous communities. When industries flourish on the resources of a particular region, the people of that region naturally expect to become partners in its prosperity. They expect employment for their educated children, better educational institutions, accessible healthcare, clean drinking water, improved infrastructure and a dignified standard of living. They expect industrial development to transform their lives rather than simply change the economic fortunes of distant investors and corporate shareholders. Unfortunately, the experiences and concerns expressed by sections of the local population suggest that the benefits of industrial development have not been distributed as equitably as they should have been.

For the people of Ghotki, the presence of fertiliser companies was initially associated with hope and opportunity. They imagined that industrialisation would open new horizons for their younger generations. They believed that their sons and daughters would find respectable employment in the very institutions established on their ancestral land. They anticipated that their villages would become centres of education, healthcare, technical expertise and economic activity. However, industrial expansion alone cannot guarantee social transformation. A factory may increase production, generate profits and strengthen national exports, but if the surrounding communities continue to experience poverty, unemployment and inadequate public services, the meaning of development becomes questionable. The uncomfortable reality is that industrial prosperity and community prosperity do not always travel together.

One of the most pressing concerns is the employment of indigenous people. Ghotki has a considerable population of educated young men and women who have acquired degrees in engineering, sciences, information technology, business administration and other professional disciplines. Many of them aspire to secure respectable positions in the industrial organisations operating in their own district. Nevertheless, concerns about inadequate local representation in professional and technical positions continue to be raised. The question that deserves serious consideration is simple: if local graduates cannot find meaningful employment in industries operating in their own geographical surroundings, where should they seek opportunities?

It is particularly disappointing when educated young people spend years acquiring professional qualifications, only to discover that their academic achievements do not translate into economic independence. Some are compelled to migrate to distant cities in search of employment, while others remain unemployed despite possessing the qualifications required by modern industries. This situation not only undermines their confidence but also weakens the educational aspirations of future generations. Parents begin to question whether higher education can genuinely change their children’s circumstances. Consequently, unemployment becomes more than an economic problem; it develops into a social crisis that gradually erodes hope, dignity and confidence.

Certainly, no one should advocate employment on the basis of geographical identity at the expense of professional competence. Industrial organisations require qualified, skilled and experienced employees. However, this does not prevent companies from adopting transparent local recruitment policies, investing in technical education and preparing indigenous graduates for professional responsibilities. Indeed, a responsible company should consider the development of local human resources an essential component of its long-term corporate strategy. Local representation should not be confined to low-paid, temporary or menial positions. Indigenous people must have opportunities to enter engineering, administration, management, research, finance and other decision-making departments. Their participation should extend from the factory floor to the boardroom.

Equally important is the question of natural resources and the distribution of wealth. Ghotki occupies a significant position in Sindh’s resource economy. Its natural gas and other resources contribute to industrial production and national economic activity. Yet the presence of valuable resources does not automatically translate into prosperity for the communities living above them. This contradiction reflects a broader problem often described as the resource curse, whereby regions possessing abundant natural wealth continue to experience poverty, inequality and underdevelopment because the benefits of extraction are distributed unevenly.

The indigenous population should not be treated merely as a passive spectator of industrial development. These communities are part of the geographical, social and cultural landscape in which industrial organisations operate. Their land, surroundings, labour and local resources contribute to the larger economic system. Therefore, they deserve meaningful participation in the benefits generated through industrial activity. It is neither reasonable nor morally defensible for an industrial region to become a centre of enormous commercial activity while its surrounding communities struggle to access clean drinking water, quality education, healthcare and decent employment.

Moreover, industrialisation brings environmental responsibilities that cannot be ignored. Fertiliser manufacturing involves complex chemical processes, the handling of industrial materials, energy consumption and the management of emissions and waste. If these activities are not properly regulated, they may create risks for air quality, water resources, agricultural land and public health. The people living near industrial facilities are particularly concerned about the quality of their immediate environment because their everyday lives are directly connected to the land, water and atmosphere surrounding them.

Environmental justice requires that the communities bearing the potential consequences of industrial activity should also have a voice in decisions concerning environmental protection. Clean air and safe drinking water are not privileges reserved for wealthy neighbourhoods; they are fundamental human necessities. No community should be expected to sacrifice its health for the economic prosperity of an industrial enterprise. Companies must therefore ensure strict environmental monitoring, responsible waste management, safe disposal of industrial effluents and regular independent assessments of their operations. Environmental information should be accessible to the public so that local communities can understand the potential risks and hold relevant institutions accountable.

The issue becomes even more serious when we consider the conditions of industrial workers. Every successful factory depends upon the physical and intellectual labour of its workforce. Workers operate machinery, maintain production systems, perform technical duties and ensure that industrial processes continue without interruption. Yet, despite their indispensable contribution, some workers may experience job insecurity, inadequate wages, insufficient healthcare facilities and limited social protection. Contractual employment can further complicate their circumstances when workers are denied the security and benefits enjoyed by permanent employees.

The distinction between permanent and contractual workers should never become an excuse for exploitation. Every worker deserves fair compensation, a safe working environment, medical facilities, legal protection and respect for human dignity. The minimum wage should be implemented in letter and spirit, and workers should have access to effective mechanisms through which they can raise complaints without fear of retaliation. Industrial organisations must recognise that their workforce is not a disposable economic resource but a community of human beings whose families and futures depend upon their employment.

Furthermore, women must not remain invisible in the industrial development of Ghotki. Economic progress cannot be considered inclusive if women are excluded from professional opportunities, technical education and institutional decision-making. Local women deserve access to scholarships, vocational training, safe employment and equal opportunities in suitable industrial and administrative positions. Their participation in workers’ organisations and representative bodies should also be encouraged. A society cannot achieve genuine development while half of its population remains marginalised.

Education, meanwhile, offers perhaps the most sustainable pathway towards transforming the circumstances of indigenous communities. Instead of treating local people merely as potential employees, industrial companies should invest in developing their intellectual, technical and professional capabilities. Scholarships for talented students, technical training centres, internships, apprenticeships and partnerships with universities can create meaningful opportunities for local youth. Special attention should be given to students from economically disadvantaged families and remote villages.

It is important to acknowledge that some companies, including Engro Fertilizers, have undertaken educational and community development initiatives in the Daharki region. Such efforts, including technical training and educational programmes, deserve recognition. Corporate social responsibility should not, however, be measured merely by the establishment of a few institutions or the distribution of occasional scholarships. Its real success must be evaluated through measurable improvements in the lives of local people. How many students have completed their education? How many have secured sustainable employment? How many local graduates have entered professional positions? How many villages have gained access to safe drinking water and adequate healthcare? These are the questions that should determine whether corporate social responsibility is producing meaningful results.

Indeed, corporate social responsibility must not become a public relations exercise designed primarily to improve the image of an organisation. It should represent a genuine commitment to social justice, community empowerment and sustainable development. Companies must publish transparent information about their community investments, employment practices, environmental performance and welfare programmes. Independent assessments should evaluate whether these initiatives are reaching the people who need them most. Local communities should also participate in identifying their priorities rather than being treated as passive recipients of corporate generosity.

Another important dimension of this issue is the absence of meaningful participation by indigenous communities in decisions affecting their lives. Development policies often emerge from corporate offices and administrative institutions, while the voices of local residents remain peripheral. Yet the people who live in the vicinity of industrial facilities understand their immediate social and environmental circumstances better than anyone else. Their experiences, concerns and suggestions must become an integral part of industrial planning.

A permanent community consultation mechanism could help bridge the gap between companies and local populations. Representatives of indigenous communities, workers, educational institutions, civil society, local government and corporate management should participate in such a forum. Its responsibilities should include reviewing employment opportunities, monitoring environmental concerns, examining community welfare initiatives and addressing grievances. A transparent complaint-resolution mechanism would further strengthen public confidence and reduce the distance between industrial organisations and the people living around them.

The responsibility, however, does not rest exclusively with private companies. The Sindh government, district administration and relevant regulatory institutions must also demonstrate seriousness and commitment. Governments exist not merely to facilitate industrial investment but to ensure that economic development serves the public interest. They must enforce labour laws, monitor environmental standards, protect workers’ rights and ensure that industrial enterprises fulfil their legal and social obligations. Local employment opportunities should be strengthened through transparent policies, while educational and technical institutions should be aligned with the requirements of the regional industrial economy.

Political representatives, too, must move beyond ceremonial visits, public statements and occasional promises. They should raise the genuine concerns of indigenous communities in legislative forums and demand accountability from the relevant authorities. Civil society organisations, journalists, teachers and intellectuals also have an important responsibility to highlight the unequal distribution of industrial benefits. Silence in the face of persistent deprivation only allows injustice to become normalised.

Nevertheless, it would be unfair to portray industrial organisations as entirely negative or to disregard their contribution to national development. Fertiliser production is essential to agricultural productivity, food security and economic stability. These industries provide employment, support supply chains and contribute to the national economy. Their continued growth is important. However, economic success becomes more meaningful when it is accompanied by social responsibility. The objective should not be to weaken industry but to make industrial development more inclusive, equitable and humane.

The people of Ghotki are not asking for charity. They are asking for opportunities, representation, environmental protection, fair employment and a reasonable share in the prosperity generated by their region. Their demand is not against industrialisation; it is against an unequal model of industrialisation in which wealth accumulates while surrounding communities remain economically vulnerable. They do not want factories to disappear from their land; they want those factories to become genuine partners in the development of their children and communities.

We must remember that a region’s progress cannot be measured merely by the height of its industrial structures, the volume of its production or the financial strength of its companies. Real progress is reflected in the faces of educated young people who find dignified employment, in children who attend quality schools, in families who drink clean water, in workers who return home safely and in women who enjoy equal opportunities. It is reflected in villages where poverty gradually gives way to prosperity and where future generations can imagine a better life without abandoning their ancestral land.

Ultimately, the question is not how much fertiliser the companies of Ghotki produce for the country; the more important question is how much prosperity they help produce for the people of Ghotki. If industrial chimneys continue to release smoke, production figures continue to rise and corporate revenues continue to expand, while neighbouring communities remain trapped in unemployment, poverty and inadequate public services, then the very idea of development deserves serious reconsideration.

A land should not become rich at the expense of its people. Its people should become prosperous through the resources of their land.

Ghotki’s indigenous population deserves more than promises, occasional welfare projects and symbolic gestures. It deserves a future built on economic justice, educational empowerment, environmental security and equal opportunities. The companies operating in this resource-rich district must recognise that their success is inseparable from the well-being of the communities around them. The government must ensure that this responsibility is fulfilled, and local voices must be given the recognition they deserve.

After all, development is not a privilege to be enjoyed by a handful of powerful institutions; it is a collective right that must reach every section of society. The true measure of industrial success will emerge not when companies announce record profits, but when the people living beside their factories can finally say that industrial development has transformed their lives.

The indigenous people of Ghotki do not demand a favour. They demand their rightful place in the prosperity of their own land.