Labor day in Pakistan

Labor Day, right now when I am sitting in my home resting because today is the labor day! But sadly I know that right now when I'm resting due to labor day the production department in my company as well as many other small and medium industries in Pakistan, the production department will be working to overcome their production shortfalls. This is how we are celebrating labor day, a big question mark that how we are giving respect to those who are like a running blood in the veins of the industries and technical divisions of Pakistan, "The Labors".

A large number of labors in our country are daily wagers, for them on holidays, on strikes, even on celebrations like Eid and finally "labor day", means nothing but hunger for the several upcoming days. The daily wagers, who are living hand to mouth, earning and spending each day, following their lean earning mode, a day off means no income for that day and hunger for the coming day, this is how we are helping our labors. Think!

Today, labor organisation and leaders, various human rights activists will be celebrating labor day, yet they will be doing this in the form of seminars, speeches, and exhibitions but no one will be able to leave the air conditioned seminar hall and go outside in the severe high temperature of 1st May, to experience how the labor is suffering and still working on their day.

In Pakistan the minimum income a labor should get is Rs. 7500/ but it is observed that they are getting paid lower than that due to low number of jobs and employers are receiving a large number of job applications. Thus the demanding power of labor is decreasing and he is compromising on his salary in order to get a job and start working.


Child labor is another sad story to cover, last week a few young minds (boys from Youth Intelligentsia) planned to go towards the under-developed areas of Pakistan to facilitate the children with the light of education. At initial step they covered the area of Thatta, they contacted and talked with the little hearts about the education and appreciated their desire for education.

In order for the betterment of labor and those who are really working for the progress of industry and are the running blood in the veins of our technical division, we have to think out of the box, we have to research what are the problems the labor is facing in terms of working as well as in terms of finance. The labors themselves should support those representatives who are actually working with them and supporting them.

Indeed, we must always remember what Islam has taught us, "To pay the labor before his sweat gets dry."

*Special Thanks to the Photographer ABK.