very morning, thousands of daily wage workers flock to various squares and locations in search of work. Those who manage to find work, receive a minimum wage. This income is insufficient to cover basic needs in these times of high inflation. Many others return empty-handed as a weak economy makes it difficult for them to find work. This highlights the challenges faced by the most vulnerable members of the society, who rely on daily wages to survive.

Every daily wage worker has a heartbreaking story to tell but these stories are unheard because no one pays attention. Qayyum began working from a very young age and has been coming to Hathi Chowk, Saddar, Rawalpindi, for the past 20 years. He started coming to Hathi Chowk with his father, who was also a daily wage worker. “I am from Mardan. When I was 18 or 19 years old, my father told me that I would be going with him. I recall that he had started working in Rawalpindi and would return home every two to three months.”

“I was thrilled to be moving to a new city, but my joy was short lived. The following morning, we were waiting at Hathi Chowk with our tools. It was a rainy day and we didn’t get any work. Since that day, I have been coming to this chowk every day. Sometimes we get work, sometimes we don’t. For two years now, we haven’t had work most of the time.”

“I work hard to save every little money to support my family back in the village. I have not rented a house. I often sleep by the side of the road. I also frequently eat at free dastarkhwans. However, despite my efforts, I am unable to take care of my family’s basic needs. I can’t even consider sending kids to school. All I can think about is food. On Eid, my kids were waiting for new clothes but I returned empty-handed. I felt terribly helpless.”

Life at large has been disrupted by the country’s recent inflation but daily wagers have been most affected and their vulnerabilities have multiplied.

According to the latest food security update of the World Bank, food inflation in Pakistan has risen significantly over the past year; it was 17 percent in April 2022 and had reached 47.2 percent by March 2023. With significant variance across commodities, such as onions, wheat flour and bananas, the World Food Programme Market Monitor Report recorded a year-over-year CPI food inflation of 43 percent in January 2023. The buying power of households has decreased by up to 38 percent because food prices have risen for 11 straight months. The last 18 months have seen a more than 100 percent increase in Pakistan’s fuel prices. Petrol cost Rs 119.25 per litre in September 2021; by April 2023, the price has risen by 136 percent to Rs 282 per litre.

“Despite my efforts, I am unable to take care of my family’s basic needs. I can’t even consider sending kids to school. All I can think about is food.”

Daily wagers are some of the most affected people on account of pandemics and climate change. The situation of daily wagers in Pakistan has been worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic. The restrictions on free movement on account of the Covid-19 pandemic diminished hopes of work for daily wagers. They have no job security, and were among the first to be laid off when businesses closed due to the pandemic. This has left many of them in a desperate situation, with no income to support their families and no access to government assistance. Many families were unable to acquire essential food as a result. This has caused stress and anxiety.

The situation for female daily wagers is even more challenging. Women make up a significant proportion of daily wage workers in Pakistan – an estimated 30 percent of the total. Data from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) shows that 65 percent of workers in the agriculture sector are women. However, it is estimated that 60 percent of women agriculture workers are unpaid. Additionally, a lot of women in rural areas work on farms and with livestock at low wages or for only a small percentage of the crop. This way they support their families’ needs. However, this has been impacted by climate change. Nearly 4.3 million people lost their jobs because of the recent floods, particularly women in rural areas who had worked on farms. According to the Post Disaster Assessment Report of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, a total of Rs 996 billion has been lost in agriculture, food, livestock and fisheries; water, resources, and irrigation; business and industry; finance and markets; and tourism. A total of 4,410 million acres of agricultural land has been harmed and 0.8 million animals have died.

Daily wage workers, including women, are in desperate need for government support, in terms of policies, infrastructure and social support. A comprehensive policy on the matter is necessary. It is important that the government protects the rights of daily wage workers and creates an environment for consistent, dignified and safe work.

The writer is a communications specialist and a freelance writer. He is based in Rawalpindi and can be reached at qureshiwaqas@gmail.com. He tweets @qureshiwaqasA