Most of the people in Pakistan are in a state of severe poverty.
ISLAMABAD: Most of the people in Pakistan are in a state of severe poverty. The rate of crime and street beggars are increasing by the day. There are many people in Pakistan who thrive under the poverty line. And for most of them, begging seems to be the only way they can earn a living. 25 percent of the people have turned to street begging and it persists to such an extent that it has been turned into a profession.
It is disheartening to see that so many beggars are under the age of ten. Even the though of education and preparing for a prosperous career is alien to them. They are more likely to focus on making money that anything else due to which mafias are exploiting poor children and making them their victims and slaves.
Even though begging is a calamity for our country, it creates a miserable perception of Pakistan all over the world. The beggar mafia is getting much stronger and nobody is taking this issue seriously. The government should take some strict action against this mafia. The beggars are living a deplorable life and it is upto us to lift them out of their misery.
Misbah Imtiaz
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2020.
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