Tribal elders from Dera Bugti and representatives of local educated youth have accused major gas companies operating in the district of failing to honor long-standing employment agreements, leaving hundreds of qualified local candidates unemployed despite repeated commitments.

Addressing a press conference at the Islamabad Press Club, the leaders criticized the continued failure of gas companies to implement agreed employment mechanisms, including the long-promised "Son Quota" policy, which was designed to provide jobs to the children of retired employees.

The speakers said Dera Bugti, despite being home to four major national gas companies and contributing significantly to Pakistan's energy sector, remains one of the country's poorest districts due to the lack of employment opportunities for local residents.

According to the representatives, more than 800 engineers and diploma holders from Dera Bugti are currently unemployed and awaiting the advertisement of technical positions by the companies. They argued that these qualified professionals possess the necessary education and technical skills but continue to be overlooked for employment in projects operating on their own land.

The speakers also highlighted delays in implementing the "Son Quota" system, alleging that the companies have effectively frozen the recruitment process despite previous commitments and ongoing legal proceedings.

They stated that 211 applicants are currently awaiting recruitment under pending cases involving Pakistan Petroleum Limited, while the number of unresolved employment cases involving Oil and Gas Development Company Limited has reportedly exceeded 1,000.

The representatives said these entry-level and support staff positions are vital sources of income for families in the district and warned that continued delays are contributing to growing unemployment and economic hardship in Dera Bugti.

Speaking at the press conference, Haji Lal Khan Bugti said the youth of Dera Bugti had fulfilled their responsibility by acquiring education and professional qualifications, but the companies had failed to fulfill their commitments.

Abdul Ghaffar Bugti, President of the Bugti Youth Organisation, said it was unacceptable that a region supplying a significant share of the country's natural gas continues to witness widespread unemployment among its educated youth.

"Our youth are educated and our families are waiting for the rights they were promised. It is unacceptable that in a region that fuels the entire country, our own engineers are left jobless and the families of our retired workers are left without the support they were guaranteed. These companies are operating on our land, but they are operating in bad faith," he said.

The Bugti community called on the Federal Ministry of Petroleum and the management of the gas companies to immediately address the pending employment cases through a transparent process. They demanded the prompt advertisement of technical vacancies for the more than 800 waiting engineers and diploma holders and the immediate restoration of the "Son Quota" recruitment process for over 1,200 pending cases.

The community representatives said they remain committed to resolving the issue through peaceful means but warned that they reserve the right to pursue all legal and democratic avenues to hold the companies accountable for what they described as contractual violations.