Pakistan is one of the world’s biggest leather producing countries. A large proportion of the leather they produce ends up in garments, shoes and accessories sold by big brands in Europe and the Netherlands. More than 500,000 people in Pakistan are working under deplorable labour conditions to produce this leather. They work long hours for low wages that often don’t even cover their basic needs. Many workers struggle with severe health issues due to their daily work with toxic chemicals and dangerous machines.

NOOR photographer Asim Rafiqui travelled in October 2016 to Karachi, where he photographed the miserable working conditions faced by workers in Pakistan’s leather industry.