As winter takes over, many people in our city are left to sleep on the streets in freezing cold. They use whatever spaces they can find — railway stations, bus stops, under flyovers, or even footpaths. With no blankets or warm clothes to fight the cold, many endure unimaginable hardships. Seen on the streets are individuals and families abandoned by the system. Women and children are the worst affected, often seen begging or selling small items just to afford one meal. They have no safe space, no education, and no way out of this endless cycle of poverty and neglect.
The government has set up a few shelters, but they are often full and lack basic necessities, leaving many people to sleep outside. It’s easy for us to walk past them and ignore their suffering, but doing so only makes their situation worse. These people are not invisible; we have chosen to look the other way. The same story is repeated every winter. We distribute blankets and food for a few nights, take pictures for social media, and move on. These acts of charity, while helpful, are like pouring water into a broken pot; they don’t address the root of the problem.
As we sit in our warm homes this winter, let’s ask ourselves: what kind of society allows its most vulnerable to suffer like this? The homeless need action, empathy and commitment from the government to provide them shelters. Their survival shouldn’t depend on the generosity of a few; it should be guaranteed by the state.
Wania Rauf
Lahore
