Every day, from morning till evening, a familiar and unsettling scene unfolds just outside the University of Karachi campus. An elderly woman sits in a wheelchair near the petrol pump on the main university road — an already narrowed, congested stretch due to never-ending construction work — asking for alms from passing vehicles.
Drivers exiting the petrol pump, especially those preparing to enter the campus, often feel disturbed, pressured, or emotionally cornered. Many stop not out of free choice but out of discomfort: to avoid a public scene, to escape guilt, or simply to move on without being haunted by the moment. I have personally observed this situation repeatedly, and its persistence demands attention.
What makes it more alarming is its routine. After Maghrib, a rickshaw regularly arrives and takes the woman away. This daily “drop-and-pick” pattern raises a serious concern: is this an individual case of hardship, or a sign of an organised begging network, commonly known as a beggar mafia? While no responsible observer should rush to accusations, it is equally irresponsible to normalise a pattern that suggests coordination and possible exploitation.
The concern deepens because this is happening at the entrance of a major educational institution. A university gate is not merely a checkpoint; it symbolises discipline, safety and the values of learning. Similar begging is also visible at another major entry point, the Silver Jubilee Gate, where students frequently complain about small children running after them, pleading for money. When such activity operates openly around a university, it damages the institution’s image, raises security questions and creates a constant atmosphere of unease for students, faculty and visitors. Worse, it encourages a harmful social habit: turning public spaces into arenas where vulnerability is displayed for survival or, in the worst case, for someone else’s profit.
Local authorities should act with both compassion and firmness: if the woman is truly needy, provide dignified support through welfare services, credible NGOs or rehabilitation instead of leaving her exposed on the roadside. If an organised racket is involved, law enforcement must identify and stop those exploiting her. Immediate monitoring, coordination with social welfare, and a regulated no-begging zone around university gates can solve the issue humanely.
Dr Intikhab Ulfat
Karachi
