An overwhelming rise in the number of child beggars is posing a serious security threat and promoting criminal tendencies in society including drug abuse, narcotics sale, prostitution and petty theft, a survey conducted by Business Recorder shows.
However, physically fit, young persons can also be seen begging. The reason is not the rising number of jobless persons in the current poor macroeconomic scenario but begging is increasingly viewed as a profession and as a means to provide the easiest and surest way of making money.
There are several institutions - both public and non-government - working for the uplift and welfare of the indigent and disabled yet in the absence of any comprehensive plan at government level beggars are plying our cities, towns and even villages.
In recent years there has been a significant rise in the number of beggars in the streets of the capital. Background talks with officials of Ministry of Social Welfare, Bait-ul-Mal and Ministry of Zakat and Ushr reveal that the government does not have an appropriate mechanism to deal with this menace nor does it maintain a record of the number of beggars. However, in this regard the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CPWB), an initiative taken by the government of Punjab has claimed success to some extent.
Talking to Business Recorder, Iram Bukhari Director CPWB says the institution was established in 2005 to rescue, protect, rehabilitate and reintegrate the destitute and neglected children. Since its inception, the Bureau has rescued as many as 34, 000 children. Out of the total 17,000 were taken in legal custody.
After taking the neglected children in custody, she further says, the Bureau provides vocational and technical education to these neglected children to make them contributing members of society. According to her, presently there are 500 children, including 200 in Lahore and six others districts of the Punjab.
The Punjab government has earmarked Rs 248 million for CPWB in the budget for 2011-12 against Rs 174 million allocated for 2010-11, she adds. "At one time it was thought that begging is undertaken by the physically challenged who are simply not capable of working," says Akhtar Ali, a school teacher. However, now even young people can be seen begging in the streets.
He argues that urbanisation is one of the reasons behind the sharp rise in the number of beggars. Another significant reason is lack of opportunities for the unskilled, and an erosion of the value of each rupee earned, he adds. The survey also shows that some parents sitting under a shade and watch their children beg in the middle of the road. This profession has become an industry now where young men, women and children are abducted/recruited/trained/ relocated. At the end of the day, the money earned is handed over to the persons incharge who keep a big chunk of the earnings and give a small amount to beggars.
People from different walks of life opine that the government should introduce schemes and trainings enabling those on the streets to be gainfully employed. There should be strict laws banning beggary and police should have powers to apprehend those caught in the act.
"Allah K naam pe baba: Teri umar me barkat ho", "Teri taraqi ho babu"; we often hear these words in the market, on roads, in parks etc". An official claims that around 80 percent of street children are addicted to charas or some other narcotics, which keep them chained to their handlers. "Unless we have a rehabilitation programme beggary cannot be done away with," according to him.