Street begging is a regular nuisance. We see innumerable beggars daily and their number is always on the increase. Many of them live on the pavements of the streets. The increasing number of beggars has become a problem for our country. Begging is an evil but in Pakistan it has become an organized profession. Almost at every step you are greeted by a beggar. They gather around you at business places, in trains, in the bazaars, in markets,cinema houses, at tramp and bus stops and near the places of worship. There they make your life miserable. They become a nuisance then. You cannot walk peacefully in the street, at the bus or tram stop. They will come and annoy you.Our national prestige suffers a good deal when beggars greet foreigners at every turn of the road.
Unfortunately, in our country giving alms is believed a part of religion. The most painful thing is that most of these beggars are able bodied. Theycan do manual labour if they so desire. But they find it easier to live on other people’s hard earned money. This easy got money they spend on drinking and gambling. The tragedy is that these beggars encourage even their children to beg. Thus this so-called charity leads to so many vices.
In some western countries begging in the streets or open places has been stopped. A beggar will be punished if he is found begging openly. The Government in those countries, however, have made provision for them. Unemployed people get pension from the State. There are homes for the poor invalid people. They are given food. If the beggars are found fit for work, they are made to do some profitable work. Such system should be introduced in our country also.
The need of the hour is that this social evil must be put to an end. Healthy beggars should be made to work. The disabled, the crippled and the blind beggars, however, should be maintained at state expense. They should be kept in some suitable houses where they should be fed and taken care of. Not only begging should be declared illegal by an act of parliament but public opinion should also be educated against it. Those who give alms to the strong and able bodied men, women and children should be punished.