LAHORE: Despite years of relentless inflation and soaring utility costs, Pakistan’s home-based workers continue to labour for sub-human wages as low as Rs50 an hour, leaving them trapped in a cycle of severe economic exploitation and systemic neglect.
This was stated by speakers at an event commemorating the International Home-Based Workers Day.
They highlighted the harrowing plight of women who form the backbone of informal labour, revealing that their earning power remains frozen at levels from three years ago while basic living costs have skyrocketed.
The gathering brought together trade union representatives and grassroots workers who voiced deep concern over unpaid wages, occupational health hazards, rampant gender pay discrimination, and a complete absence of government social protection.
The event commenced with Jalvat Ali explaining the history, core concept, and significance of the day, setting a solemn tone for the testimonies that followed.
Kaneez Fatima emphasised how hyperinflation and crippling electricity bills had severely eroded the purchasing power of families, even as piece-rate wages remained stagnant.
Home-Based Workers Union Vice President Jamila stressed that beyond financial distress, prolonged hours of repetitive labour in fixed postures cause severe physical ailments, urging workers to form localised union units to fight collectively for their rights.
Individual testimonies exposed the startling scale of labour exploitation across various informal industries.
A worker producing lace revealed that she earned just Rs200 for four hours of continuous labour, translating to a mere Rs50 per hour, while others reported receiving as little as Rs16 to sew intricate lace onto shirt necklines, damans, and cuffs.
Saima, a toy maker, shared that assembling a gross of 144 toy units takes between 8 to 12 hours of gruelling effort for a meagre pay of Rs60 to 100. She noted that factory owners openly enforce a gender pay gap, offering men higher rates while justifying lower wages for female workers on the pretext that women frequently miss work due to personal or child health issues.
Other workers, including Muqaddas, who attaches 1,444 small pearls for Rs100, and Shamim, who spends two full days stitching a single shirt for Rs100, echoed similar struggles.
Sughran noted that daily earnings hovered between Rs50 and 100, adding that contractors brazenly tell workers to quit whenever they complain about low pay.
In addition to poverty-level wages, workers raised serious concerns regarding workplace harassment and safety.
Aneeqa highlighted the persistent harassment faced by women, detailing a specific instance involving a worker earning a monthly salary of Rs22,000, making just Rs20 per shirt by completing only two shirts a day.
Union President Ashra shared how she collaborated with 10 women workers to confront and handle a workplace harassment incident, reiterating that isolated individuals could not secure justice and that workers must collectively knock on the government’s door to demand their rights.
Addressing organisational hurdles, Union General Secretary Sabira pointed out that the movement faces internal challenges, including a lack of coordination among union members. She stressed that workers must rely on their own unified strength to secure social security coverage and wage revisions.
Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2026
