Islamabad: During the month of blessing a large number of professional beggars have captured the roads and markets of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and having a roaring business during Ramazan.
Mostly women carrying infants in their laps, old age people and children are seen begging in the busy shopping areas like Abpara, Super, Jinnah Super, Karachi Company, Commercial Market and Saddar which irritates the visitors but administration seems failed to purge the issue.
While talking to APP Qadir Shah, who is a lecturer, said that professional beggars create inconvenience for commuters and also cause hurdles for vehicular traffic, but authorities seems failed to take an effective action to purge the issue.
He added that professional beggars can be witnessed everywhere especially during Ramazan but shopping areas mosques and traffic signals are amongst the choicest business locations for them.
He urged citizens to play their role to discourage these professional beggars and give charities to those who truly deserve their help. Due to these professional beggars the real deserving poor people remains deprived, he said. Amina Ahmed, a working woman was of the view that groups of professional beggars have occupied main traffic signals of the city who keep on irritating us by thronging at vehicles asking for alms.
She added that grabbing money from the people is the sole purpose of these professional beggars and many time they don’t even hesitate to emotionally blackmail them. Rehana Parveen, who is a journalist, said that professional beggary is becoming a social menace and many beggars including physically fit men, women and children are turning towards this profession considering it a profitable business.
She added that women carrying infants in their laps and people with bandaged limbs exhibiting different disabilities are the most common tactics of these professional beggars to attain the sympathies of the people and get more and more alms. She added that she does not discourage charity but people should look around and try to reach the real deserving people around them.