SOME people are enjoying a well-earned rest and spending quality time with their loved ones while millions of unfortunate citizens are yearning for a single meal for their family. Citizens who belong to the latter category are t daily wagers and labourers.

My mother paid a month’s salary in advance to my maid and asked her to stay home. She was happy and concerned at the same time. When I asked her the reason she replied that since she was doing part-time domestic work for three other families as well.

Only one other household had given her some money and ration and told her to contact them after a week. Of the other two part-time employers both had declined to pay her while one was insisting that she turn up for work twice a week as they had given her an advance of Rs1,200 the previous month against her salary.

She said that she barely made Rs19,000 while her husband who was physically handicapped was an errand boy in a barbers’ shop in Kharadar who was paid Rs 200 daily. Since the shop is closed her family has lost this income. Soon it would be difficult for her family to have two meals a day.

I and my mother were saddened to hear her tale and gave her more ration from our stock besides some additional money and told her to call us if she needed more provisions. My point is the federal and provincial governments should undertake a concerted campaign to provide ration to the poor during the lockdown. Also all citizens should be extra vigilant and ready to help those who need our assistance in these uncertain times.

Engr Batool Sughra
Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2020