Begging for help

The other day it was reported that a small girl was recovered from a beggars' gang who had kidnapped her a year ago and put her to work in different cities. I have been hearing such cases since I have been a kid and I am amazed as to why this crime has not been completely eradicated in Pakistan. It has been shown that professionally begging in any location is not possible without the police knowing about it. And professional begging gangs pay the local police on a daily basis to not only be allowed to beg in an area, but also get security from the police.

Therefore, the government should start a programme to sensitize the local police about the negative effects of professional begging, child labour and violence against children and women, Islamic point of view of begging, etc. Similarly if child kidnapping for begging and police involvement in allowing professional begging is highlighted in the media, that may help get the civil society to raise a voice as well.

Shahryar Khan Baseer

Peshawar