Traffic signals a boon for beggars

Islamabad

Traffic signals at Double Road (Shamsabad) and Faizabad seem to have become a haven for members of begging rackets because as soon as a signal turns red, several people, mainly women and children, rush towards the motor vehicles and 'forcefully' seek alms from the motorists. "This category of beggars appears time and again on the traffic signals especially at Double Road. They hang around traffic lights and harass motorists. They weave between the lanes of traffic and knock on the windows of cars and ask for money," said Sheraz Ghani, a resident of Pindora area. It is pertinent to mention here that a crackdown against beggars was launched in the twin cities in the recent past in which hundreds of beggars were arrested. But after few months they have again started appearing at traffic signals, markets and bazaars. Umair Abbasi, a resident of Shamsabad, said it has become a common practice that beggars without any sort of indication from motorists start washing screens of vehicles and then ask for money.

"The number of beggars on the traffic signals has grown tremendously and it is the responsibility of the government to address this issue.  The motorists are the ones exposed to them the most, so if they want a change then they must also act against it," he said.