Javed Ahmed Bhatti
from Mountains to Masses
By Alhanouf Mohammed Alrowaili
High in Pakistan’s ancient Salt Range, where mineral-rich veins date back over 250 million years, Javed Ahmed Bhatti is leading a quiet but powerful revolution. As the founder and CEO of Ittefaq Salt, he’s not just mining salt he’s harnessing its healing power, cultural heritage, and promise of purity for a global wellness audience.
Salt may seem like a humble kitchen staple, but for Bhatti, it represents far more: a connection between the Earth’s ancient resources and today’s demand for natural well-being. Originally involved in international scrap metal trading, Bhatti later shifted focus to his family’s ancestral lands in the Kalabagh, Khushab, and Quaidabad regions home to some of the world’s purest Himalayan pink salt. Recognizing not just the product but the story behind it, he founded Ittefaq Salt, which now exports to over 90 countries.
The name Ittefaq means “unity” in Urdu, symbolizing the brand’s mission: combining heritage, wellness, and sustainability under one global vision.
Salt has played a vital role in healing for centuries. From Arabian medicine to Roman saline baths and Arab trade routes, salt was once considered as valuable as gold. Modern science confirms its benefits halotherapy (dry salt inhalation), derived from ancient practices, is now recognized for improving respiratory function, reducing inflammation, and enhancing skin health.
Ittefaq Salt specializes in Himalayan salt, often considered the purest on Earth. Mined by hand from deep within Pakistan’s mountains, it’s unprocessed and rich in over 80 trace minerals including calcium, magnesium, and iron. Whether inhaled, soaked in, or consumed, Himalayan salt can relieve asthma, support hydration, soothe skin conditions, and promote calm through its negative ion emissions.
Under Bhatti’s leadership, Ittefaq Salt has grown into a global wellness powerhouse, offering a wide range of products across six main categories:
• Culinary: Pink salt, pyramid flakes, smoked and sea salts
• Wellness: Bath salts, body scrubs, spa-grade treatments
• Décor: Hand-carved lamps, salt tiles, nightlights
- Lifestyle: Salt cooking slabs, glasses, brine eggs
• Animal Health: Mineral-rich livestock lick blocks
• Private Labeling: Custom solutions for global retailers
Bhatti prioritizes purity, traceability, and ethical sourcing. Ittefaq’s facilities are internationally certified (BRC AA+, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, Halal and more), ensuring quality from “mine to market.”
As salt therapy gains popularity in spas and wellness centers, Ittefaq has become a leader in custom salt room installations. These serene spaces, built with Himalayan salt bricks and granules, replicate natural salt caves and create microclimates that help detoxify the respiratory system, calm the mind, and purify the skin. Salt-infused air is now used to reduce anxiety and treat seasonal respiratory conditions.
Unlike refined table salt, which is stripped of minerals and often contains additives, Himalayan salt remains raw and unaltered. It delivers a clean taste and supports wellness naturally. “It’s not just about flavor,” says Bhatti. “It’s about choosing something your body recognizes something pure.”
As global consumers seek cleaner, more authentic self-care products, Bhatti envisions Himalayan salt becoming a core element of holistic wellness. Future include expansion into Latin America and Southeast Asia, the launch of new wellness-focused product lines, and sustainability-driven innovation especially supporting local artisan communities.
Salt-based therapies are especially beneficial in fall and winter, when dry indoor air can worsen respiratory issues and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Himalayan salt lamps, warm salt baths, and halotherapy help clear mucus, improve breathing, and emit negative ions that boost mood and energy making salt an essential ally for colder months.
For Bhatti and Ittefaq Salt, this is more than business. It’s a return to nature, balance, and ancient wisdom, packaged for the modern world. “Salt is life,” Bhatti says. “And when it’s pure, it brings balance not just to food, but to the soul and body.”
