More than 26% of women face termination, suspension in Pakistan amid lockdown

Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) supported by the Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability, has revealed that more than 26 percent of 904 women respondents were terminated from their jobs.

Moreover, 14 percent were permanently laid off while the services of the remaining 12 percent were temporarily suspended.

Seven percent of these were daily wage workers. While 85 percent were working on monthly wages and the remaining were paid on bimonthly or weekly basis.

Those working in a factory had the highest ratio of termination from the job.

The districts were the survey was conducted included Faisalabad, Haripur, Lahore, Sialkot, Peshawar, Rahimyar Khan, Quetta, and Karachi.

Estimates by Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) suggest the pandemic may push another 71 million people below the poverty line and may cost 18 million workers their jobs.

The daily wagers and contract workers are most vulnerable during this health and economic crisis.

Layoffs and suspensions of workers are happening despite the federal and provincial governments’ announcements of multiple tax rebates, easy credits, and utilities’ relief schemes for the large and small businesses.

Sindh and Balochistan governments have issued categorical orders to the industrial and commercial establishments to not lay off their employees and keep paying salaries (or minimum wage in case of Balochistan) during the lockdown.