Akra parchi gambling goes unchecked in Tando Adam

TANDO ADAM:

Tando Adam, like many other Sindh towns, is experiencing a surge in akra parchi gambling. The business of selling prize bond numbers, known as akra or parchi jua, has taken Tando Adam city by storm. Citizens risk their savings in hopes of getting rich overnight.

Bets on prize bond numbers start as low as Rs10, enticing children to gamble their school lunch money and homemakers to wager cash saved from daily grocery expenses. Gamblers have set up tables and chairs in key city areas, operating with impunity due to police inaction.

Akra parchi thrives in densely populated commercial areas, backed by corrupt police officials and influential figures. Most participants are working-class individuals risking their hard-earned income for big prizes and overnight wealth. Young children are also involved, often turning to theft to fund their gambling.

Initially played twice a month during prize bond draws, akra parchi now operates every hour, with winning numbers displayed on blackboards outside specific shops. Many men, women, and children are falling into gambling addiction due to the lure of big prizes.

The business involves buying and selling prize bond numbers, with various wagering methods, including safha, aakra, and betting on odd/even numbers. The minimum bet is Rs10, while the maximum is Rs10,000.

The 14th and last day of every month, known as Chand Raat, sees major buying of prize bond slips, primarily by poor individuals who cannot afford whole bonds. Investors purchase billions of rupees in prize bonds and sell numbers in the akra market.

Despite Pakistan's ban on all forms of gambling, including parchi jua, dealers operate shops, portraying it as legitimate business. Influential personalities and corrupt police officials collaborate to run gambling dens.