THE lockdown has brought offices into our homes, and the digital world has become the new reality. The virtual economy and freelancing as a means of earning an income are booming.

Unfortunately, the labour community is still starving and unsure of what it should do to earn a livelihood for their families. The government announced a relief package but its benefits have not yet reached every poor citizen.

As a result a virus more deadly than coronavirus which is the hunger virus, which has engulfed a sizeable proportion of the population. The relief package which includes Rs200 billion for low-income groups has mostly been more of an announcement.

Many deserving people I know are waiting to receive relief money after waiting in lines for days and searching for work. Their failure to find work is making it difficult for them to feed their families. If people are unable to earn to feed their families they would be forced to take the law into their own hands to procure rations for their families.

It is good that the government has ordered a partial easing in the lockdown so that the people can begin limited economic activity so that they can earn their keep.

Maham Amir
Lahore

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2020