Islamabad - As the ongoing spell of winter rains has turned the weather pleasant, the residents of Islamabad throng different restaurants and recreational spots of the city; some climb the Margalla hills for a scenic panorama of the capital. The use of hot coffee, tea, soups, samosa, pakora and dry fruits has increased while rainy photography is a real source of fun for the youth.
Islamabad, the beautiful, offers splendid view but there is no attraction for Haq Nawaz Khan, a daily-wager, when it rains in the city. While sitting by the roadside near Rana Market in F-7, he looks to each and every approaching vehicle with a hope that someone is coming to hire his services. But it is hope against hope that he will get any work today, as the life of labourers working on daily wages paralyses in downpour. “For us, rain is a scourge of God; even if it is cloudy, we have very little chances to get any work,” said Haq Nawaz. While referring to other daily-wagers beside him, he said that they were totally dependent on the money that they earn on daily basis. “When it rains, it becomes difficult for the workers like me even to arrange money for food.”
Such kind of daily wagers sit on roadsides, at different parts of the city, along with their tools and wait for the people to come and hire their services. The daily-wagers don’t love rain. The non-locals make up the bulk of daily-wagers rendering services to the rich of Islamabad. This segment of the society lives in misery but they earn livelihood for their families behind. The daily earning of an ordinary laborer is Rs 600 while the workers with experience in painting earn from Rs 1000 to 1200 daily, depending on their luck to find work on particular day.  For the last 35 years, Haq Nawaz has been working as daily-wager in Islamabad. He has no male issue to support him at this stage of his life while all of his daughters have been married. He said even on sunny day, people come and select health young people while old people like him wait for hours. “Now, I have two enemies, the rain and my old age as well.” However, for daily-wager like Haq Nawaz Khan, it is good news that the current spell of rain is almost over. According to Met Office, during the next 24 hours, mainly cold and dry weather is expected in Islamabad and most parts of the country. “There are chances of rain on upcoming Friday and Saturday,” predicts Met Office -  once agains not good news for daily-wagers like Haq Nawaz Khan.