Karachi is a city of fun, entertainment and success. Many government officials have done a remarkable job in making the city a better place by investing in its infrastructure. However, what is the future of this city or if talking on the macro perspective, what is the future of this nation? Well, the future is the girl who knocks on your window convincing you to buy flowers that can buy money for a meal. The future is the little boy who walks around frantically looking for car windows that he can clean in order to save himself from getting abused by the his “bosses” running the beggary business. Instead of having these children focus on their future by providing them with education, love, motivation and support to excel in their lives, they’re given flowers and wipers to make a living at the age of 9 or 13. Yes, the future of Pakistan is on the streets.
The number of children on the streets has nearly tripled since last year. Many of these children don’t focus on how to excel in their education and make a successful career. They’re more focused on earning enough money to fill their stomachs. Instead of being a doctor, lawyer, teacher or businessman, the children have made their professional careers in begging.
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Begging, as a profession could well compete with many others considered oldest on the list, with very similar characteristics. The first clink of coins falling in the begging bowl takes away one’s self esteem and any left over reluctance for all times to come. From here on, there is no looking back. One ceases to utilise one’s own faculties and gets hooked on to the life of easy money. More creative and unscrupulous begging techniques are devised to draw greater sympathy from the charity giver. Interestingly, few beggars have ever become rich or said good bye to beggary. It is a an addiction that even psychiatrists find difficult to deal with. Cold turkey is often the only solution.