- Beggary can be defined as an act of asking for money, something to eat, or any other thing or type of help from others to meet one’s survival needs. It is primarily a cause of poverty and social inequality; however, disability also contributes to beggary majorly. People who get into beggary are often due to poverty, inflation, lack of employment, any disability, or other challenging circumstances. It can be done in various forms, such as begging on streets, at traffic signals, or in crowded public places. Both men and women belonging to different age groups, including children, are involved in this act. It is a complex social issue and badly affects the economic development of the country.
Beggary has become a serious as well as common issue in developing countries, including Pakistan. With increasing inflation rates, the statistics of beggary are also fluctuating day after day. Economic conditions, religious aggravation, and an increasing shortage of necessities have exponentially skyrocketed this dilemma in Pakistan. For every 170 million individuals of Pakistan, 25 million are professional beggars. The average daily amount collected by beggars varies across cities, with Karachi having the highest at RS 2,000. Annually, beggars extract $42 billion, which is more than 12% of Pakistan’s GDP.
The most common type of beggary is the need to survive. When a person is left with no choice but to meet his financial requirements, he ultimately switches to beggary. Some do it as a convenience or preference. In Pakistan, it is also an organized crime where insane, young children and sometimes teens are forced to beg for mafias. The majority of the transgender community is also involved in this act. Some professional beggars use religious sentiments to grab the attention of the people. Some beggars fake their disabilities. In countries like Pakistan, beggars have accepted beggary as their family custom. Disruptions in family conditions such as the death of parents, breadwinner, or pressure from husbands or addicted husbands also lead to beggary.
Beggary has always remained common in Pakistan, even though it is illegal here. Although there are many causes, the government plays a significant role here. The corruption of police and leaders, their inefficiency in leading the country, and their inability to enforce the rule of law contribute to a disabled system where inflation is too high for the lower-income people to live peacefully, a lack of employment opportunities, a poor education system leading to high illiteracy rates, and much more. All these factors result in social injustice, inequality, and, ultimately, beggary (either professionally or unintentionally).
In conclusion, to eradicate or lessen the extent of beggary in Pakistan, the government needs to regulate the country’s zakat and aukaf systems efficiently. Rehabilitation centers for beggars should be established. Certain NGOs also play an essential part along with the government. The police sector should be held accountable for not enforcing the legislation. The government should be working to control inflation and provide more social welfare programs and employment opportunities.
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Well written👍🏻