Let me breathe

This is absolutely amazing. Another 1000 contracted janitors, being paid illegal wages of Rs.13000 pm can ‘begin to breathe’ a bit more easily. The latest is that the Cantonment Board Faisal, also raised the salary of its contracted janitors to Rs.17500 pm and the first raised salary has already been paid two days back.

It happened because a group of citizens, undertook to systematically address this issue, peacefully, rationally and legally.
On one hand the legal case being fought pro-bono by brilliant lawyer Faisal Siddiqui and his team in SHC against CBC, forced the CBC to raise the salaries of its contracted janitors. We cannot thank Faisal enough.
Simultaneously citizens groups “Let Me Breathe” and “CB44” decided to use the “Right to Information” to demand information from all six Cantonment Boards in Karachi and from the Head of all Cantonment Boards in Islamabad about salaries that they pay to their contracted janitors, the reason for illegal wages, and to confirm that each Cantonment has now begun to abide by the minimum wage law.
So, a change is possible. It is awaiting to happen. Contracted Janitors from hundreds of other government organization, across Pakistan, are awaiting for the privileged citizens to come out of the closed basements of their own ‘self- centeredness’ and speak up for the most down trodden and the most exploited.
In humility and gratitude.
naeem sadiq