A surging turmoil

Letter October 26, 2021
A surging turmoil

KARACHI:

Amid many adversities, begging is a surging misery in Pakistan. According to estimates, there are 5 to 25 million beggars in the country. This figure involves men, women and children of varying ages, which is severe exploitation of both human and child rights. Beggars can be found almost everywhere in Pakistan and those with the most noticeable disabilities invite the most attention and the most money. In some cases, if a child isn’t disabled, a disability is inflicted upon him, by cutting a limb or removing an eye, so that the child gains more sympathy and ultimately more money.

Due to increasing destitution when an individual runs out of all options, they eventually resort to begging to sustain their existence. However, some individuals take it as a convenience and prefer to beg to make their living. The worst cause though is trafficking, which involves mafias that recruit innocent and vulnerable people, mostly children. According to a 2010 report in the media, about 3,000 children went missing in Karachi alone. Many of them would have been sent to different parts of the country and forced into begging.

In 2018, the Sindh government imposed a ban on child begging. However, it is difficult to determine whether these laws were implemented or not. The authorities should deal with the matter with utmost importance because begging is endangering the fundamental rights of children. The deprivation of rights from an early age makes them more vulnerable to other crimes in the future. Nelson Mandela had said, “Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation, they will be leaders of our country, creators of national wealth. And those who abuse them tear at the fabric of society and weaken our nation.”

Faria Memon

Sukkur

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27th, 2021.

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