Covid-19 impact on economy: 54pc upset with income reduction, changed work timings

KARACHI: The corona pandemic continues to batter the economy after striking the country almost one year ago, leaving 54 percent Pakistanis upset with drastic reduction in their incomes and change of working hours, the Gallup Pakistan opinion survey found.

The Gallup Pakistan released the findings of its new opinion poll eliciting the viewpoint of 2,000 people across the country from February 6 to 26th. According to Gallup Pakistan, 54 percent Pakistanis are upset with reduction in their incomes and disturbed work schedules due to coronavirus pandemic.

According to the opinion poll, 28pc out of the 54 percent are agitated over reduced incomes, 7 percent complained of change in the work schedule while 19 percent were suffering actually from both the issues. As many as 41 percent did not report any impact from the pandemic, while 5 percent did not respond to the questions.

The survey also found 26 percent of the male respondents worried about reduction in their income, while 10 percent complained about changing work schedule and 23 percent seemed battered by the both. On the other hand, 28 percent of the female respondents to the opinion poll reported affected by drop in income due to the COVID -19, while 3 percent were disturbed by altered work schedule and 14 percent women are said to have been affected by both.

The Gallup Pakistan also surveyed the rural population for the COVID-19 impact to their incomes. As many as 53 percent of rural respondents were worried over disturbed working schedule and reduction in income or by both. While in the urban areas, 49 percent confronted these problems. The survey was also analysed on the basis of responses across the different provinces.

In Balochistan, 41pc suffered income reduction, 33 percent in Punjab, 31 percent in KP, while only 13 percent from Sindh cited the problem. Regarding to responses to disturbed work schedule due to Covid-19, 18 percent from KP, 6 percent from Punjab, 5 percent from Sindh, 4 percent from Balochistan complained about it.

Across the provinces, the Gallup Pakistan Survey found as many as 26 percent respondents in Punjab bickering about income reduction and altered work schedule, followed by 15 percent from KP, 7 percent from Sindh and 2 percent from Balochistan.

When the same survey was put across the gender divide, 79 percent men and 50 percent women from the KP complained suffering on both accounts, while 71 percent men and 58 percent women in Punjab, 60 percent men and 39 percent women from Balochistan, and 34 percent men and 15 percent women from Sindh, complained being upset with income reduction and altered work schedule.