PESHAWAR, Feb 14 (DNA): Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM)
on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Dr Sania Nishtar expressed her
satisfaction over successful efforts of government to cope with COVID19
situation and reaching out to the homes of 15 million labor class people
affected by the pandemic.

In her visit to Provincial Election Commission Office Peshawar for
submitting her documents for forthcoming Senate Election, Dr. Sania
Nishtar said the situation created due to COVID19 was extraordinary
which affected people of the globe including Pakistan. “We approached 15
million daily wagers and others in need through Ehsaas Kafalat Program,
delivered cash money to run their household affairs and feed their
families.

Most of the laborers and daily wagers stuck far from their homes in
other cities because of the closure of inter-cities transport,” she
said. “We are thankful to Almighty and the team working under the
leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan to access these people timely
and addressing their problem through Ehsaas Kafalat Program,” she said.
Under the umbrella of the Ehsaas Program, the Prime Minister formed a
labor expert group at the international labor day last year, to prepare
recommendations for addressing income, health and social security issues
of workers in the informal sector.

In light of those recommendations, the government has taken practical
steps to bring daily wagers and laborers into the mainstream, she said.
She said the group had conducted a consultation process on
recommendations for workers of informal sector to establish
labor-friendly social protection institutions. The economy of Pakistan
is large and workers have limited access to labor welfare services, she
said adding, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO)
Labour Force Survey 2017-18, the informal sector accounted for 71.7% of
the employment in main jobs outside agriculture, more in rural areas
(75.6%) whereas (68.1%) in urban areas.

“I am grateful to the experts of the group for their suggestions. With
their support we have been able to extend financial support to daily
wagers through the Ehsaas Emergency Cash programme and to expand it
according to the ground realities,” said Dr Nishtar. The Labor Expert
Group members included the Social Security and Poverty Reduction
Division, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, Planning Commission, all
provincial labor departments, Pakistan Workers Federation, ILO and
researchers, university professors, labor leaders and representatives of
other relevant fields.

Dr Sania Nishtar expressed her confidence that the efforts of the
government would help poor to get rid of the vicious circle of poverty
besides paving a way for them towards prosperity. The special assistant
said that a survey was being conducted in the country to identify the
poor who deserve assistance and help, adding that now it was in
completion stage. She also lauded the role of teachers of the education
department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
in Punjab from collecting the required data for the survey.

She said, Prime Minister Imran Khan was taking special interest in
development of merged tribal districts to improve the living standard of
the natives through providing modern facilities and financial
assistance. About the winter situation in the southern districts, North
and South Waziristan, she said people of these areas who migrated to
other districts due to harsh weather would also be registered under
Ehsaas Kafalat Program. Replying to a query, she said the incumbent
government was committed to fight against poverty and completed the work
plan to achieve the target within the specified time. DNA

=======