Rawalpindi workers face housing crisis amid rising poverty

Rising inflation and worsening poverty in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, have led to an increase in daily-wage workers sleeping on pavements, roadsides, and under public infrastructure. Due to declining purchasing power, many laborers find it impossible to afford even inexpensive housing.

Many of these workers have traveled from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and remote areas of Punjab in search of employment. They typically earn between PKR 700 and PKR 1,000 per day through tasks such as loading and unloading goods.

Workers are frequently seen seeking shelter beneath the Metrobus track, under shop awnings, or on benches in areas like Liaquat Bagh. To cope with food insecurity, many rely on charitable hotels that provide free meals at designated points in Raja Bazaar, Jamia Masjid Road, and Bara Bazaar.