Street begging is a regular nuisance. It is a blot on the fair name of our country. In Pakistan it has become an organised profession. They gather around you in business centres, in trains, in the bazaars and near the places of worship. Our national prestige suffers a good deal when beggars greet foreigners at every turn of the road.
The most painful thing is that most of these beggars are able bodied. They can do manual labour if they so desire. But they find it easier to live on other people’s hard earned money. These beggars encourage even their children to beg. Thus this charity leads to so many vices.
The need of the hour is that this social evil must be put to an end. Healthy beggars should be made to work. The disabled, the crippled and the blind beggars however should be maintained at state expense.
They should be kept in some suitable houses where they should be fed at government expenses. Not only begging should be declared illegal by an act of parliament but public opinion should also be educated against it.
Those who give alms to the strong and able bodied beggars should be stopped from doing so.
SYED MUHAMMAD AKBAR
Karachi
