Beggars Flock To Lahore’s Markets, Malls Ahead Of Eid

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Apr, 2024) As Eid-Ul-Fitr approaches, professional beggars have flocked to markets, main roads, Ramazan bazaars, traffic signals and shopping malls to seek fortunes.

The beggars of all age groups can be seen seeking alms outside mosques after prayers and at shopping centres, markets, as scores of people head to markets for Eid shopping in the evening.

Also they ensure their presence at traffic signals and other major roads and use different ways to seek alms from commuters.

But the story goes beyond further as several begging rackets become active as Eid draws nearer. These begging rackets divide their respective areas while special persons are deployed to monitor their activities and “earnings” on special occasions like Eid, said an elderly man Mushtaq Ali

Likewise, Bushra, an 16-year-old girl, who seeks alms on Ferozepur Road, told APP that no one from her family was educated and this was the best way to earn a living.

Bushra said that she come here daily from Sundar Adda along with her mother, 9-year-old brother and a younger sister to seek alms as this is the best way to earn a square meal, she told APP.

It may be mentioned here that to add to the misery, police and district authorities concerned are least bothered about the social evil and seldom take action against professional beggars leaving little for those needy.

Talking to APP, Search For Humanity, an NGO, chairman and child rights activist Iftikhar Mubarik said that police authorities were not paying attention to control this social evil.

This issue was related to the Child Protection Welfare Bureau (CPWB), which was not working in a proper manner, he added. When contacted, a CPWB official said that there was no information available on child beggars or “missing children”. “Our teams are cracking down on child begging and launching raids in different areas of the city as per the strategy."

Lahore police sources said that they have launched a special campaign to curb this curse following the directions from the SSP Operations and have nabbed scores of beggars during the last two days. The SSP has directed to shift child beggars at Shelters Homes and Protection Centres for their proper upbringing and make them a responsible citizen.

Despite these efforts, beggars keep coming back to markets and streets. They run away and hide as soon as they see a police car.

The professional beggars are a great nuisance for the people because of their excessive pestering and leave a person with no choice but to dish out money to get rid of them.