Owing to Jabbar's charisma, approachability and ability to interact with common people, he enjoyed popular support and deep local roots.

[7][8][9][10] On the intervening night of 2–3 December 1984, Jabbar was awakened by the odour of lethal methyl isocyanate gas emanating from the Union Carbide plant around 2 kilometers from his parents' home in Rajendra Nagar, Bhopal.

[8][2] In 1987, Jabbar set up the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan (BGPMUS) or Bhopal Gas-Affected Women's Enterprise Organization, also referred to as Sangathana, a grassroots organization composed mostly of women, which has been at the forefront of struggles against the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) which owned the pesticide plant resulting in the infamous gas leak.

They have been involved in every legal initiative seeking justice for the victims and have consistently sought fair compensation, medical rehabilitation, prosecution of UCC officials.

Dismayed by the meagre amount of food compensation being provided to the victims, Jabbar started his first campaign seeking employment for them with the slogan "Khairat nahi, rozgar chahiye (We don't require charity, we want jobs)".

[10] In 1989, the Supreme Court announced a final settlement proposal in which the UCC will pay the government $470 million, as opposed to the initial demand of $3 billion, and be discharged of all civil and criminal liability.

The protests elicited widespread public support and the newly elected central government initiated a rehearing of the settlement based on the review filed by BGPMUS.

The organization was primarily funded by the monthly 5 rupee contributions of its members and the sale of embroidered clothes and stuffed toys made by the women.