Under the Scorching Sun: The Struggles of Laborers in KP
Fakhar-e-Alam
Peshawar: Under the blistering sun on the outskirts of Peshawar, 40-year-old Qudratullah pushes a heavy wheelbarrow stacked with bricks at a dusty construction site in Wapda Town. His daily toil is a fight to sustain his family amid soaring living costs and relentless inflation.
For this backbreaking labor, Qudratullah earns just Rs. 700 a day — barely enough to feed his six-member family. “We work from dawn till dusk and still live hand to mouth,” he says, wiping sweat from his brow. “We have no proper healthcare, no educational facilities for our children, and no home of our own.”
Qudratullah’s story echoes the harsh reality faced by millions of poor laborers across Pakistan, especially in Khyber-akhtunkhwa (KP). Daily wagers, unskilled workers, construction and agricultural laborers, and domestic helpers form the backbone of the nation’s economy, yet they remain a neglected and exploited segment of society.
Since the devolution of labor departments to provincial governments, the situation has worsened. Laborers, often employed at brick kilns and agricultural lands, suffer severe subjugation by employers. Many remain trapped in a vicious cycle of borrowing money in advance to feed their families, binding them into near-slavery conditions—a grim throwback to darker times.
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/plastic-dreams-when-pollution-replaces-play-in-abdullahs-world/
“Nearly 72 percent of Pakistan’s workforce is employed in the informal sector—especially in construction, transport, and agriculture,” explains Dr Naeemur Rehman Khattak, former Chairman of the Economics Department at the University of Peshawar. “These workers often lack written contracts, social protections, and even minimum wage guarantees.”
Dr. Khattak points out that economic instability, weak industrialization, and social inequalities push the poor deeper into hardship. “When epidemics or calamities like COVID-19 strike, life becomes even harder for these laborers. Whenever the economy shrinks, it’s always the laborers who suffer the most.”
Pakistan, a founding member of the International Labour Organization (ILO), has ratified 36 ILO conventions, including fundamental ones protecting workers’ rights. Its 1973 Constitution guarantees laborers the right to unionize, bargain collectively, and receive fair wages.
Yet, in practice, many employers shirk their responsibilities. “There is a sheer disconnect between policy and reality,” says Syed Noman Bokhari, senior labor law expert and member of the High Court Bar Association. “In KP, the Minimum Wages Board revises salaries annually, but enforcement remains a major challenge, especially in rural areas.”
Labor courts exist but are under-resourced, and most workers cannot afford to take time off to lodge complaints. While the KP government raised the minimum wage to Rs. 36,000 in the last budget and initiated pilot programs using digital tools for social security registration, Bokhari cautions, “We must see how effectively these measures reach every corner of the province.”
There are some government initiatives aimed at improving laborers’ living conditions. The Provincial Housing Authority (PHA) KP is constructing affordable flats across the province.
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/turning-the-page-libraries-emerge-as-21st-century-community-hubs/
Over 2,000 units in Labour City Regi Lalma have been completed, with major projects ongoing in Swat, Charsadda, Hangu, and Peshawar’s Surizai and Nishtarabad areas. PHA Director Waqas Anjum shares that 9,000 units are being built in the Jalozai Housing Scheme, with 1,300 reserved for laborers.
Infrastructure upgrades are also underway in Mardan’s Labour Colony, alongside land earmarked for worker-friendly housing. Support for overseas Pakistanis includes one-window facilitation desks and financial aid for their children’s international education.
Complementing these government efforts are initiatives by civil society organizations like Aurat Foundation and Labor Education Foundation, which educate workers about their rights and help organize for better working conditions. Youth and middle-class support for ethical labor practices is also on the rise.
However, Dr Khattak warns that piecemeal reforms are insufficient. “We need comprehensive measures—a digital worker database, empowered inspection systems, and above all, political will to prioritize laborers’ rights.”
The current government’s new labor policy promises a 400 percent wage hike, job regularization, and benefits for dismissed employees. Critics, however, highlight slow implementation and question the fulfillment of pledges such as constructing five million homes for the poor.
“All we ask is fairness,” says Qudratullah, pausing briefly before returning to his labor. “Not charity—just a little dignity.”
His words underscore the urgent need for transparent governance, efficient policy implementation, and mechanisms that truly identify and benefit the deserving laborers who keep the country moving.
The feature story was released by APP on May 18, 2025.
All facts and information presented are the sole responsibility of the reporter and their organization.
