Stories
Rising Poverty Forces Rawalpindi's Daily Wagers to Sleep on Pavements
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News18•04-10-2026, 14:00
Rising Poverty Forces Rawalpindi's Daily Wagers to Sleep on Pavements
- •An increasing number of labourers and daily-wage workers in Rawalpindi are forced to spend nights on pavements and roadsides due to rising inflation, worsening poverty, and declining purchasing power.
- •Many workers seek shelter under the Metrobus track and shop awnings, as they can no longer afford even inexpensive accommodation after meeting basic needs.
- •Workers, often from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and remote parts of Punjab, can be seen sleeping in various commercial areas and public spaces across Rawalpindi, including Murree Road, Liaquat Bagh, and around the General Bus Stand Pirwadhai.
- •During the day, these labourers earn by loading/unloading goods and performing other daily-wage jobs, typically making between PKR 700 and PKR 1,000, with occasional earnings up to PKR 1,500.
- •Charitable hotel owners provide free meals at designated points in Raja Bazaar, Jamia Masjid Road, and Bara Bazaar, where workers and poor women with children often queue up for food.
Key Questions Answered
Rising inflation, worsening poverty, and declining purchasing power have left low-income workers with little money after meeting basic needs, making it difficult to afford even inexpensive accommodation.
Workers sleep on pavements, roadsides, beneath public infrastructure such as the Metrobus track, under shop awnings, along Murree Road, and inside Liaquat Bagh.
Workers sleeping beneath the Metrobus track generally earn between PKR 700 and PKR 1,000 a day, though their income can fall on difficult days or occasionally reach around PKR 1,500.
