Waiting for Costumers among Heavy Clouds of Uncertainty

Sometimes people can go to any extent and do not even hesitate sacrificing their own dreams for the sake of their children. Mubarik Ali and Jumma Khan are laborers waiting with their spades, hammers and hoes for their customers in the scorching heat at Commercial Market in Rawalpindi. They are worried about the one loaf of bread for their children and gaze every potential customer as an angel in this sturdy time.

Talking to INFN, Jumma khan said, “We come here in the morning at 6 O’clock and back home after the sunset but often we don’t get any customer who needs our services for construction and bulldozing. I never give up hard physical work because I have to earn money till night for my children who anxiously wait for me and keep staring at the door till I reach home.” Other laborer, Mubarik Ali said, “I have three children who do not study in school because it is not affordable in these hard times where I cannot get  food even for them so how can I  give them education,” as tears fell down his hopeless eyes.

They further said, “This cruel world does not take pity on us and our miserable conditions; no one is ready to pay heed to our complaints, not even our elected government. We are deprived from the all basic necessities of life and delights of this world so much so that death seems better than this depressed life where we have to pass our time on the edge of road in 40 Celsius which is so painful for all of us.”

“Spade, hammer, hoe, and loom are our tools which help us in digging out metallic road, tough foundations, concrete barracks and demolishing old buildings. Sometime, we are compelled to become grave-diggers as well. Not only we do the digging work but also work as laborers with Masons and contractors throughout the day. We earn 400 rupees in a day after an extensive physical work which is too lees to meet the needs of our families,” they complained.

Jumma Khan and Mubarik Ali are not only a huge question mark for the civil society but also a sign of failure for the ruling elite. They represent a large number of people who are affected and are hard-hit by unemployment that is on the rise with each passing day in our society and which would prove to be as harmful as the shake the very foundations of our nation.