LAHORE: The Punjab government’s announcement to impose a province-wide ‘lockdown’ for 14 days from Tuesday has worried labourers working in the informal sector, as they will have no work to pass the crucial days ahead.

“We are already facing a difficult situation due to slow construction activity, and now this coronavirus will starve us,” said Mukhtar, 50-years-old construction worker, standing alongside other workers at a Johar Town intersection. “Closure of all sorts of local businesses means there would be no business in the next 15 days and it means we will have no work and no money,” he said, choking back the tears.

Daily-wage workers in the export-oriented industry are facing problems to earn wages across the country due to delayed export orders in the current scenario. Such workers in the informal sector are also feeling the brunt of the situation in the wake of coronavirus spread threat. They include hundreds of thousands of workers (labourers, masons, electricians, plumbers etc) across the country.

“There are about four million construction workers in Pakistan, and of them two million are in Punjab alone. Moreover, 50 per cent of them (one million) are in the informal sector,” Association of Builders and Developers Association (North) Chairman Akbar Sheikh told Dawn. “We, in the formal sector have made arrangement to support our workers, in case of suspension of work. However, our understanding is that factories, construction sites and private business offices should not close, as lockdown should be applied to public places, shopping sectors, congregations etc. But we are in a state of confusion since CM Buzdar has not explained these issues in his press conference,” he said.

He, however, said the decision would surely affect diahridar mazdoor (daily-wage workers of the informal construction sector and its associated businesses.

“I don’t know whether the government has any plan to support such workers or not”.

Philanthropists, government and others must join hands to support this class, he suggested.

A daily-wage labourer earns Rs20,000 or so on an average per months, passing each day in mentally tension and anxiety while feeding their family. “The life of a daily-wage worker is very tough in Pakistan, as he spends a couple of thousands on the medication of his family. The remaining money he spends on kitchen, transport, clothing and other needs. So now you imagine how he is doing all this in limited financial resources,” said Mian Razaq, founding chairman, Lahore Ferozepur Road Industrial Welfare Association.

He said since more than three million daily-wage workers were engaged in a variety of jobs in all the formal and informal sectors in Punjab, including over 1 million in Lahore alone, the government must make arrangements for their livelihood during at least for the next three months. “The business community, labourers etc are already worried due to economic crisis in the country. And if the government avoids supporting us in such crucial times, the workers will start dying of hunger,” he warned.

According to Secretary (Industry) retired Captain Zafar Iqbal, the government has already completed its homework to support the labour class and even those who don’t fall under this category. “We have finalized our plans for 30, 60 and 90 days grading it in worse to worst scenarios. We have compiled all data on workers and their essential needs,” he told this reporter. He said the Punjab finance minister would soon announce the package.

“The task my department has been entrusted with is to ensure provision of essential commodities to the consumers at the doorsteps of the people in case the situation gets worsened,” he said an advised the people to avoid panic buying and stockpiling since there was no shortage of commodities anywhere in Lahore and rest of Punjab.

On the other hand, Monday’s announcement of lockdown geared up panic buying in Lahore and other cities of the province. In Lahore metropolitan city, people flocked Utility Stores, model bazaars, grocery shops and other business outlets. “Before lockdown (starting from March 24, 9:00am), I decided to buy some essential items for my family,” Irshad, a rickshaw driver, said.

“Let see what happens in coming days, as we will have no business due to lockdown.”

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2020