From Dust to Development

Dr. Ikram Ullah

Bajaur: Bajaur, a district in the merged tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is full of valuable minerals like marble, chromite, nephrite, granite, copper and large quantities of other valuable minerals. These natural resources have the potential to change the future of the district, create jobs, grow the local economy, and improve the lives of people.

But despite this natural wealth, Bajaur still faces poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment. One of the main reasons is that these resources are being taken out of the region in raw form, without any local processing or value addition. The benefits go elsewhere, while the people of Bajaur are left behind.

For years, Bajaur’s minerals have turned to dust, quite literally. Stones are broken, crushed and carried away in trucks, but the real value leaves with them. What remains is dust, damaged roads, and a community that sees little benefit.

This cycle must end. It’s time to turn that dust into development by building industries, creating jobs and ensuring that Bajaur’s people, not outsiders, benefit from what lies beneath their feet.

Right now, most mining in Bajaur is done without proper planning or regulation. The minerals are taken out and sold in raw form, which means no local factories, no skilled jobs and no real boost to the economy.

Even though the Minerals Department has issued 29 leases and 126 prospecting licenses, creating around 1,200 direct jobs and generating Rs. 9 crores in revenue in 2024–25, this is only a small part of what Bajaur could achieve.

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/two-wings-of-knowledge/

Past studies show that the broader ex-FATA region, including Bajaur, has huge reserves, 0.7 billion tons of marble, 537 million tons of chromite, 35 million tons of copper and large quantities of other valuable minerals. Bajaur even has precious stones like nephrite and emerald. But without local industries, the full potential remains untapped.

To change this, Bajaur needs to adopt a new development paradigm shift. This means changing the old way of thinking where rural development was only linked to agriculture, basic services, or government aid.

While those areas are still important, the new approach focuses on using untapped opportunities, like natural resources as powerful tools for economic transformation. In simple terms, it means moving from survival-based development to opportunity-based development.

Instead of just growing crops or waiting for government support, the focus should now be on building industries, creating jobs, and adding value to what the district already has.

What Bajaur needs is this shift in thinking, a plan that focuses on local processing, training people, improving infrastructure and ensuring that the mineral wealth directly benefits the local community. Roads need to be built to connect mining sites.

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/drenched-in-poverty-drowned-in-neglect/

The Minerals Department needs proper staff and vehicles to monitor and regulate mining. A scheme should be launched to provide shared machinery to small miners. Local processing units should be established for marble, granite, chromite and gemstones so that jobs and profits stay in the district.

Health and safety must be improved by setting up basic health units and rescue services near mines. Training programs are needed for youth so they can work in modern mining and processing. Schools and housing should be built for miners and their families to improve their living conditions.

Updated geological surveys should be carried out to know the exact quantity of resources available. Security around mining sites should be improved. And finally, the lease and license system should be made digital to improve transparency and reduce corruption.

Bajaur’s location near Afghanistan and Central Asia gives it another advantage, it can become a hub for cross-border trade in finished mineral products. But for that to happen, there must be investment, infrastructure and a clear plan. This is not just about minerals; it’s about jobs, education, skills, safety, and the future of the district.

Now is the time to shift from outdated models to modern opportunities. Bajaur’s mineral wealth should not continue to benefit others while its own people remain in poverty. With a bold and people-centered development model focused on local strengths, Bajaur can grow into a strong and self-reliant region, powered by its own natural resources.

The writer is a government servant in KP’s Tribal Region, serving in a capacity that likely involves administration or governance within the region.

The article is the writer’s opinion, it may or may not adhere to the organization’s editorial policy.