Daily Times

Sir: Labouring from dawn to dusk and even beyond are countless vendors, cobblers, masons, plumbers, hawkers, monkey charmers, housemaids and innumerable folks toiling away for a little livelihood. They cannot even afford a day off from work what to talk of a Sunday or Labour Day.

Whether sweating in hot and humid conditions or shivering and freezing in biting cold weather, they cannot afford any rituals or festivities; only sheer hard work for a meagre income to support a large family. In most cases, one hand is feeding ten mouths with peanuts of an income in times of soaring inflation.

Imagine the cart-pulling and pram-pushing poor little boys overshadowed in the pompous fashion parade of the gentry on the Mall in Murree. Think of almost round-the-clock football, hockey and racket finishing little boys of our export-oriented sports industry of Sialkot. Watch cute little skilful girls helplessly engrossed in carrying out instructions without break in the cottage industries of our rural areas. See the sight of our little folks crying their hearts out selling newspapers, cleaning cars and serving at wayside food outlets.

For the toiling souls, so acclimatised and accustomed to work without dignity, it is Labour Day — day after day, week after week and year after year. Food for thought on Labour Day!

PARVEZ JAMIL

Karachi