PRIME Institute, in collaboration with Friedrich Naumann Stiftung, National Youth Assembly and Ahmed Bashir & Associates, on Saturday organised its Lahore Working Group Meeting to obtain feedback from multiple stakeholders on preparing a draft Legislative Bill for the protection of the vending rights of street vendors and articulating the public space usage.
Ahmed Bashir Partner Ahmed Bashir & Associates, Advocates & Solicitors briefed group members about the role of venders in the economy and the problems faced by them. In the first phase as a part of the Street Vendor Project they had organized Street Vendor Assembly in the cities of Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore and Quetta. Now in the second phase of the project relies on focused group discussions that are being held in each of the aforementioned cities. The Working Group wills comprised of 15-20 members which includes representatives of street vendors local parliamentarians, municipality, academia, media and civil society.
Ahmed said that the purpose of organising this meeting is to highlight the plight of street vendors to limelight and to protect their rights as well as to adopt a collaborative approach in mapping the challenges facing street vendors and to formulate a draft legislative bill that regulates and protects the vending rights.
Senior Program Coordinator Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Aamir Amjad said that with over a trillion dollar GDP, Pakistan is the 25th largest economy in the world. However, the economic structure of the country is marred with high informality, which impedes poverty alleviation efforts. As per an estimate, around 71-90 percent of the total economic activity in the country takes place in informal sector. He also said like any other urban part of the world, street vendors, in Pakistan, are an essential part of its informal economy. Known as "thelay walay" in local vernacular, these street vendors make a valuable contribution by bringing the market to ones doorstep.
According to him livelihood sustainability of poorer segments of the society, cannot be underestimated. The inflation and unemployment rate of 8.23 and 5.74 percent respectively, these vendors play a crucial role in providing employment, goods and services to the poor and lower middle income groups. Recent estimates reveal the number of street vendors in some major cities of the world to range between 50,000 and 800,000. The real estimates are not available for Pakistan.
Beenish Javed Research Associate Prime Institute in her introductory remarks said that in recent years, these vendors have been restricted by local governments due to concerns about quality, safety, and congestion. Municipal bodies and police officials often exercise their powers under various laws to remove obstructions on road and areas of public thoroughfare. The removal of obstruction drives is often used as an excuse to harass and extort money from street vendors.
Those who operate outside the legal system are often treated with much contempt; however those who are apparently within the system due to their registration with the municipal bodies also do not escape the harsh treatment.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019