Handcart labourers struggle to make ends meet

In the absence of labour welfare, no medical insurance or job security exists for the tireless workers

KARACHI:

Animal rights advocates would wince at the sight of a drained donkey pulling a heavy cart of fresh produce under the blazing sun. Yet a glimpse into the plight of handcart labourers proves that some unfortunate humans have it much worse than working animals.

Musafir Khan, an independent labourer who delivers clothes at the Boulton Market revealed that most of the labourers delivered goods by handcart in the market. “This handcart, which is manufactured in a wooden or iron frame, is our asset. It is durable and has a high weight bearing capacity. Specialised artisans manufacture these handcarts in Leigh Market, Bohra Peer and other areas. Each cart can cost anywhere between Rs25,000 to Rs50,000 or more,” said Khan.

Similarly, Hashim Baloch, another independent labourer who lifts weights at Bohra Peer, disclosed that the majority of manual work involving the handcart was undertaken by labourers from the Pakhtun and Baloch communities. “We carry at least 3 to 5 tonnes of weight on the handcart while some laborers also carry weight on their backs to the floors of different buildings. After working for 8 hours, I get paid Rs600 to Rs800 or sometimes Rs1000 or more.

Most of the handcart workers live in makeshift residences around the markets. Communal living reduces food and rental costs. Due to the nature of our job, we develop hand and back pain however, since we have no association with a government welfare organisation, we are not able to access subsidised medical treatment,” lamented Baloch.

According to Nasir Mansoor, General Secretary of the National Trade Union Federation, there is no official registry of workers at the government level. “Almost 50 to 60 per cent of the workers working in Karachi are those who are not registered with government welfare institutions.

In the old markets of the city, the number of labourers who carry weights or pull weights by hand would be more than 20,000. These workers are not registered with any organisation or vendor, nor do they have any permanent contractors hence they are called independent workers who earn their livelihood independently on a daily basis,” claimed Mansoor.

“Several old trading centres including Kharadar, Methadar, Boulton Market, Jodia Bazaar, Medicine Market alongside popular markets located in Liaquatabad, Karimabad, Landhi, Korangi, Shah Faisal and Hydari have very narrow and congested streets due to encroachments, wrong parking and other problems. Therefore, small or large loading vehicles cannot enter these markets for transporting goods. Hence, the delivery of goods and the lifting of weights is carried out through handcarts, which are pulled by independent labourers,” said Rana Akram, a businessman from the Old City area.

“Independent labourers are a very hardworking class. Most manual labourers who pull weights or carry weights on their backs do not have permanent employment. These workers have been doing the same work for many generations in the Old City area. They have no additional benefits at the government level, but in the markets where they work, some benevolent traders or shopkeepers help them,” commented Khawaja Jamal Sethi, Patron General of Karachi Traders Alliance.

Officials from the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI) affirmed that there are more than 600,000 workers across Sindh, out of which about 350,000 were working in Karachi. According to the Social Security Amendment Act 2021, self-employed workers are also eligible to be registered in the Social Security Scheme. Under this act, daily wage earners and other labourers can get registered with SESSI.

“Despite the amendment to the Act, these daily wage earners do not take interest in getting registered. Benazir Mazdoor Cards are being issued to the registered workers under which they will get various facilities. The department will soon launch an awareness campaign for the registration of these independent workers, for which help will be taken from traders and labour organisations,” assured the officials from SESSI.