Street Beggars

Living standard always differs in each and every society. Man utilizes its talent to maintain himself at normal level.

  People work hard and make efforts to overcome their needs, but there is also another category dwelling in the same society who does not have any will to work and without making any efforts and endeavours, they desire to earn their living.        

  Begging has become a wide spread profession, especially in our country Pakistan. Some people are healthy but they beg because it is an easier way of earning money but there is another category which is actually helpless and they deserve our help. Beggars may feel shame in begging but they are forced to beg to meet their necessities. The main reasons for people to start begging are illiteracy, poverty and homelessness. The children, who are born in poor families, are unable to get good education which results in poor future. They don’t find jobs because of lower qualification. Poverty is a big problem in our country. Handicapped people beg because they don’t have means for treatment. The rough sleepers are homeless, they may beg to have food. People may become homeless due to their domestic conditions and they cannot adjust themselves to the environment. According to FBI report of year 1998, “86 of young homeless are forced to leave home rather than choose to” and “Family conflict is the main immediate cause of homeless amongst at least two thirds of homeless young people.” It indicates that domestic environment is the main cause for homelessness and begging.         

  According to statistics, it is believed that there are some 70,000 children living on the streets nationwide. The begging rate is increasing rapidly.         

 Begging is a curse not only for nation but for beggar too. Begging greatly effects mental conditions of rough sleepers. Nearly two in three of people sleeping rough have mental health problems. “Rough sleepers have an average life expectancy of 42 years, compared with the national average of 74 for men and 79 for women.” (FBI report for 1996).        

  Beggars have various techniques for impressing pedestrians and drivers by their poor looks. Beggars are functionless people. They do not have passion to do something good. Some may really be needy, but their number is few.        

  Government must take strict measures to control this act of curse as:

1.     Poverty can be diminished by implementing the system of Zakat as prescribed by Islam that every person who has savings of more than 85 grams of gold should give 2.5 of his savings in charity every lunar year so that begging may eliminate.

2.     Job opportunities should be provided to even low qualified persons according to their skills and tendencies.

3.     Drugs and alcoholic drinks should be discouraged as two in five beggars say that they started begging to get money for drugs or drinks.

4.     The soulless character of professional beggars should be vanished by giving them severe punishments.

Source: Apnakarachi.com