Only white-collar workers in Pakistan enjoy the luxury of affording a day off to rest in commemoration of their work
KARACHI: Labour Day is celebrated annually on May 1 as an international workers’ holiday. It is a day put aside to honour working men and women, regardless of the sector they work in. However, in Pakistan, this luxury of affording a day off to rest in commemoration of their work is only enjoyed by white-collar workers, office professionals, and those employed in the secondary and tertiary sectors of the industry.
Self-employed or blue-collar workers, including masons, painters, electricians, mechanics and others are often spotted sitting along pavements with their set of tools or in their respective shops awaiting the arrival of the super-ordinate labourers to bring them work so they can have enough money to return home with a satisfying meal for the family. Labour Day is intended to perceive the efficiency and commitments of the considerable number of workers of all sectors and they all should have the capacity to observe it.
Rumsha Sultan Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, May 1st, 2016.
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