It is deeply unsettling to witness the miserable conditions of our marginalised citizens — men, women, transgenders and minorities — many of whom struggle daily just to secure two meals. They linger on the streets, outside petrol pumps, hospitals, mosques and recreational venues — many of them begging not by choice but by compulsion.
According to recent World Bank estimates, 44.7% of Pakistan’s population now lives below the updated international poverty line of $4.20 a day, while 16.5% fall under “extreme poverty”, earning less than $3 a day. Among those most acutely affected are transgender persons and minorities. According to the National Commission for Human Rights, nearly 80% of non-Muslims in Pakistan are confined to low-paid jobs, while almost half of government posts reserved for minorities remain vacant. Such systemic neglect perpetuates economic and social exclusion, forcing many to resort to street begging as a last resort.
The 2017 census recorded only 10,418 transgender individuals across the country — roughly 0.005% of the total population — but human rights organizations believe this number is grossly understated, as many transgender persons avoid registration due to stigma and discrimination. This invisibility in official records further excludes them from social welfare schemes, education and employment opportunities.
Despite Pakistan’s legal framework, transgenders continue to face social ostracism, harassment and economic marginalisation. Their visibility in public spaces is often reduced to begging or performing at private events — not because of lack of ability, but because society has failed to provide them dignified alternatives.
Globally, many countries have integrated transgenders and minorities through inclusive social policies — offering them equal access to education, healthcare and employment. Pakistan, too, must learn from such models and act beyond symbolism. Until policymakers treat the marginalised not as statistics but as citizens deserving of dignity, Pakistan’s constitutional promise of equality will remain unfulfilled. It is time the state translated empathy into action so that begging is replaced by belonging, and marginalisation gives way to meaningful inclusion.
Imtiaz Essa Halepoto
Jamshoro
