Covid-19 lockdown: JI voices concern over condition of unpaid daily-wage earners

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi on Friday expressed concerns over unpaid daily wagers struggling for food during lockdown in the metropolis, as it reviewed Al-Khidmat, its charity organisation's relief activities.

At a meeting held at Idara Noor-e-Haq reviewed supplies of essential goods by Al-Khidmat to the needy as the city continued to go through the lockdown. The meeting also discussed Karachi's situation in the wake of public movement restrictions.

Chief of JI, Karachi, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman was apprised by the concerned officials of Al-Khidmat and the JI itself about the supplies of food items to the poor who are suffering the worst from the lockdown. The concerned officials said that provisions of basic food items continue in their respective districts to provide relief to the needy.

Fund raising drive is also being carried out to reach out to philanthropists as supplies of relief packages are being delivered to the poor families at their doorsteps all over the districts without compromising their privacy and secrecy keeping in view their self-esteem, they said and added that in several areas vegetable packages were distributed among the households.

Hafiz Naeem lauded the zeal of his party's charity workers, saying that the JI has already put off all its political activities to focus on welfare work amid the continuing risk of Covid-19 not only in Karachi but all over the country.

"Federal and Sindh governments are seen hapless [amid Covid-19] for relief supplies to needy people and daily wage workers while factory employees including women garment workers are being downsized and even have not been paid salaries," he said.

He demanded of the factory owners to release their workers' salaries forthwith to give them a sigh of relief in this stressful time. He also paid homage to late Dr Abdul Qadir Soomro for his selfless services to the patients of coronavirus till his last breath. Dr Soomro died lately after contracted the deadly coronavirus while treating patients.