Professional beggars increasing in city

Begging has become a career in Rawalpindi, so you are not sure whether a beggar really needs help or not. Although some of these people may actually need money, most people begging for money on the street has made a profession out of it.“Beggars create new ways to deceive people. They exploit the spirit of giving among city residents. A boy sitting in my street used to have his legs curled up beneath trying to show that he is disabled and face soiled with dust. One day I saw him walking like a normal boy. When I tried to catch him, he ran away,”

“Begging has become an alternative profession, a way of making money. However, this is not to say that who begs is not in need. Nevertheless, it is hard to differentiate them,” says Ali Raza.

“However, the problem with professional beggars is that they affect the people who actually need money as people become more and more reluctant to give money to the poor, as they think that they are giving money away to someone who does not need it,” adds Ali Raza.

“Regrettably, the street beggars who seek help with live or recorded sound are a great source of disturbance for the students and sick people. Most of them are begging not as a last resort, not out of acute need,” says Seemin Naqvi.

“Some parents usurp all the children’s earned money. I saw little two girls eating foodstuff at one of the stalls. When asked they told that their parents do not give them anything off their hard-earned money, so they decided to have a meal before going home,” says Naveed Hussain.

“In the spirit of honesty, I admit that I do give to the occasional beggar, especially if the person appears particularly vulnerable - usually older or disabled people who may not have anyone to take care of them,” says Sadaqat Ali.

“At times you come across strange beggars on the street corners, bus terminals, and markets. Some of them get quite aggressive with their demands like ‘give me one hundred rupee note’,” says Najam-ul-Hasan.

Talking to a child beggar called Zulfiqar sitting in Fazal Town street, looking hopelessly at passers-by, it became clear that some of the children who beg were brought up to do so, while others simply have to accept their parents/caretakers’ decision. “I come from Rawat. I come with my parents, brothers, and cousins. We ride a bus every day to reach here,” says nine-year-old Zulfiqar.

“Some child beggars are backed by gangs who drop them off in the morning and pick them up in the evening, taking away all the proceeds and holding them hostage,” says Nadeem Hussain.