Street Vendors in Islamabad – Voice from the Ground

ife on streets is not easy. Ask any street vendor on the roads, markets, parks and other public spaces in Islamabad. Given option of a regular job, majority of street vendors will quit their vocation. Unfortunately, these job offerings are not expected to arrive soon. And even, miraculously jobs are created for many, then more from poorer segments will be entering in the public space to fill the vending spots vacated by others. It is an avalanche of humanity that is seeping in through any space for making their livelihood. They work through the system by bribing, cajoling or guiling in their existential struggle. It is easy to bemoan the congestion, unhygienic and slyness, often attributed to the vendors on the streets, but difficult to wish them away in the fifth most populous low-income country.  

PIDE has been raising the voice for the inclusion of the poor. And street vendors remain a potent manifestation of these excluded segments. PIDE has rolled up its sleeves by teaming up with Ehsaas, the premier poverty alleviation initiative in the country. Purpose is to establish an evidence-based support for the government to streamline governance and livelihood of street vendors in Pakistan. It is also coordinating with Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) for collaborative regulation of Street Vendors. And it has also ventured in action through a pilot project, whereby it has conducted the first street vendors’ survey in Islamabad on their profile development. It is resulting in a more participatory approach for a strive to resolve this intractable issue.

This webinar is mean to present the voice from the ground of both regulators and regulatees of local street economy.

 

1. Sania Nishtar; Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation
2. Shahid Mahmood; Member, Planning, Capital Development Authority (CDA)
3. Shafaq Hashmi; Chief Officer, Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI)
4. Zia Banday; Senior Fellow, PIDE (Presentation on the findings of Street Vendors’ Survey in Islamabad)
5. Exposure on Ground; Fazal Hayat, Coordinator of Street Vendors’ Survey Team
6. Voice of the Unheard; Bedar Bakht & Muhammad Sajid, Street Vendors from Karachi Company, Islamabad

Moderator: Dr. Nadeem-ul-Haque, Vice Chancellor, PIDE