Street vendors (Rehrhi Baan) enter the economy due to low barriers, no need for education or licenses, and minimal capital requirements, but they face significant challenges. They endure raids, public backlash, and harassment from authorities, often paying rent to shop owners for space and bribing police to avoid eviction. However, police can still evict them under elite and local administration pressure, confiscate their goods, or destroy products. There is no legal framework for vendors to obtain proper documentation, yet they are persecuted for working outside the law. Residents and elites who view Streer Vendors as nuisances frequently pressurize Assistant Commissioners and police to initiate anti-encroachment drives whick leads to further harassment. Despite being unregulated and unregistered, Street Vending is vital to Pakistan’s local economy, providing livelihoods for millions. Thus, there is a dire need for a law that protect and enable street vendors.
