The Knowledge Forum (TKF) organized a press conference at Karachi Press Club on September
26 for community leaders from various districts of Sindh to apprise the media of the serious
concerns about the adverse environmental and health impacts faced by residents living around
oil, gas, and coal exploration fields.
The press conference was addressed by Ms. Zeenia Shaukat, Director of The Knowledge Forum;
Mr. Abdul Majeed Mungrio from the Sustainable Development Foundation, Sanghar; Advocate
Leela Ram from Gorano Dam, Tharparkar; Mr. Ishak Soomro, social leader and researcher; and
Mr. Muhammad Aslam Malah from the Social Workers Union, Badin. They highlighted the
challenges faced by communities in districts such as Badin, Sanghar, and Tharparkar.
The leaders underscored that despite these districts being long-standing contributors to
Pakistan’s energy sector, local communities continue to be deprived of basic facilities such as
clean drinking water, healthcare, road infrastructure, education, and technical training. They
emphasized that the operations of oil and gas companies have polluted water sources, leading
to waterborne diseases and other health crises including cancer, respiratory ailments, skin
conditions, and cardiovascular illnesses.
Concerns were raised about companies’ failure to fulfill their corporate social responsibility
obligations, particularly in providing gas supply to villages within a five-kilometer radius of
exploration sites. The leaders also pointed out that although legal frameworks and policies
exist, the funds allocated for local development rarely reach affected communities. Instead,
they are often diverted or remain under the control of political elites, leaving residents
marginalized and voiceless.
Particular reference was made to the Gorano Dam in Tharparkar, where water discharged from
coal mines has severely contaminated groundwater and local wells, an issue that has been
documented and presented in the Sindh High Court. The community representatives expressed
concern that while exploration companies and the federal government benefit from substantial
royalties and production bonuses, the districts that produce over half of Pakistan’s gas remain
plagued by deteriorating infrastructure, rising disease rates, and lack of employment
opportunities.
The leaders urged the government to take immediate measures to protect the rights and
wellbeing of local populations. They called for effective enforcement of environmental
management and social welfare laws, strict monitoring of pollution discharges and harmful
emissions, and urgent steps to mitigate the long-term climate impacts of oil, gas, and coal
operations. They also demanded that both provincial and federal authorities ensure that the
economic benefits of natural resource extraction translate into tangible improvements for local
communities, instead of continuing to exacerbate inequality and environmental degradation.
