Faisalabad: Welfare Support When the Looms Go Quiet

Faisalabad runs on cloth. From the power looms of Ghulam Muhammad Abad to the processing mills along Sargodha Road, a huge share of the city’s nine million people depends on textiles in some way. When orders fall, wages fall with them. That is often the moment a family starts looking for an NGO in Faisalabad.

Peace and Humanity Welfare Organization (PHWO) is a voluntary welfare body registered in Larkana, Sindh. It does not have an office or staff in Faisalabad. Instead, families here contact it through the website or Message PHWO in a free PHWO account, and PHWO handles their requests remotely. All of its services cost nothing.

Why work in Faisalabad is so uncertain

Power loom work is mostly paid by the piece and often without paperwork. In 2022 more than 40,000 loom workers in Faisalabad went on strike demanding social security cover and a wage increase that the government had already announced but owners had not paid, according to the global union federation IndustriALL. Workers without a registration card also miss out on EOBI pensions and Social Security hospital care.

The result is familiar to anyone from Jhang Bazaar or Madina Town: a household that is fine one month and borrowing the next.

Asking for ration, debt relief or a study device

PHWO’s help request form covers ration, medical bills, school fees, rent, debt and laptops. From Faisalabad, the most useful requests are usually specific: “our loom shift was cut from six days to three and we need flour, ghee and dal for the month”, or “my son’s online admission test is next week and he has no laptop”.

1. Fill in the form in Urdu or English.
2. Add a clear live photo of yourself, and explain your situation in your own words.
3. Keep your phone on; a volunteer may call to check details.

Every request is verified and assessed. If a verified need can be met, PHWO arranges help. There is no fixed timeline and no promise of a particular outcome.

Faisalabad district in numbers

The 2023 Census counted 9,075,819 people in Faisalabad District, making it Punjab’s second-largest district after Lahore. Just under half (48.4%) live in urban areas; the rest live in villages across tehsils such as Jaranwala, Samundri, Tandlianwala and Chak Jhumra. Punjabi is by far the main mother tongue.

The Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the textile associations speak for the employers. Workers’ voices are quieter, which is why independent help matters.

Free legal aid in Faisalabad

Most legal questions from families in this district are about marriage: maintenance that stopped, a khula that is taking too long, or a custody dispute after separation. Labour disputes over unpaid wages also appear. Cases are heard at the Faisalabad District and Sessions Courts and the family courts attached to them, and appeals go to the Lahore High Court.

Through PHWO legal aid, you can describe your case to volunteer advocates without paying anything. You do not need to have lodged an FIR. Custody matters and cases with a hearing coming up soon are looked at first. PHWO cannot promise a lawyer, but it will try to match you with one who is available.

Where else to turn in Faisalabad

• Allied Hospital and DHQ Hospital Faisalabad, both linked to Faisalabad Medical University, for free public treatment.
• Rescue 1122 for accidents, fire and medical emergencies.
• Police 15, and the women’s helpline 1043.
• BISP tehsil offices for the Benazir Kafaalat cash programme.
• District Zakat Committee under the Punjab Zakat and Ushr Department.
• The Punjab Employees Social Security Institution if you are a registered worker.

Volunteering from Faisalabad

Faisalabad has large student populations at the University of Agriculture, GC University and the medical university. Students and young professionals from here already volunteer with PHWO. There is room for more, especially lawyers enrolled in Punjab and people willing to raise funds among friends, family or colleagues.

The volunteer sign-up takes a few minutes. In return you get three documents: a certificate plus letters of thanks and of experience, which students often attach to job applications.

Rishta Desk for Faisalabad families of every faith

Faisalabad is home to Muslim families from every school of thought and to one of Punjab’s larger Christian communities, in areas such as Warispura and the Jaranwala tehsil. PHWO is non-sectarian, and its Rishta Desk is open to families of all faiths free of charge. Each profile is checked with a live selfie compared with its photos, and PHWO staff review every profile. Parents and the young people themselves decide everything, and no proposal is guaranteed. Many loom and mill families say the cost of a wedding is what first pushes them into debt, so a free, private way to search can take one pressure off.

Giving Zakat or Sadaqah from Faisalabad

Mill owners, traders and families with relatives in Europe or the Gulf can donate money or goods. Zakat and Sadaqah reach people in need in full. Use the calculator if you hold stock, gold or savings, or choose one verified person to support through case sponsorship.

Public services in Faisalabad you can also use

• Rescue 1122Emergency ambulance and rescue
• Allied Hospital FaisalabadPublic teaching hospital
• DHQ Hospital FaisalabadDistrict headquarters hospital
• Benazir Income Support ProgrammeCash support for eligible families
• Punjab Zakat and Ushr DepartmentDistrict zakat committees
• District Administration FaisalabadDeputy Commissioner's office
• District and Sessions Courts FaisalabadFamily, civil and criminal cases
• Punjab Women Helpline 1043Support for women facing violence

These are public or independent services, listed to help you. They are not part of PHWO.

Frequently asked questions