“Never stand begging for that which you have the power to
earn”
_Miguel de Cervantes
Begging is one of important growing issues of Pakistan which has not been taken
into account seriously. They came from interior areas of all provinces of
Pakistan and live on the road side and shows Pakistan’s bad image that Pakistan
have a poverty rate. Their females all the household chores likewise making
food, washing clothes etc on the footpath. We all better know the main roads
situation in Karachi and they make it worst. Beside this, the females are lying
on the footpath, without any shelter. Obviously all men are not equally ethical,
some see them with lust and destroy the moral values.
In our society begging has traditionally been tolerated and even encouraged
because that given them money to gain religious merits and earn sawab but we
have forgotten that those people are professionals. According to the latest
survey, large number of people living below the poverty line earning less than
5000 per month which makes it very difficult for a person to fulfill his needs.
On the other side, a street beggar is earning more than a normal person and also
it’s an easy source of income.
In the light of Hadith,
“Whoever asks [from] other than Allah deserves to be deprived.”
Beggarization creates poor image of the society and the begging mafia is just
getting stronger day by day because no one has taken this issue seriously,
neither law and enforcement agencies, government and NGO's. According to Asian
Human Rights Commission (AHRC) research in Pakistan there are 1.2 million
children are involved in begging in major cities. Their lives are being
controlled by huge network of beggar mafia who also allots them their territory
where they have to beg.
Government should take some initiatives like to change different workshops and
skills programs so that they can really earn their future living in their
hometowns. Job opportunities should be provided to the eligible people who
really have skills and training. Public should discourage this illegal begging
instead of encouraging it. There should be awareness programs against this
begging mafia so that only deserving people could get aid.