PESHAWAR, June 22: The number of child beggars is increasing at an alarming rate here and 15 to 20 child beggars are found at every market and main crossing.

A majority of beggars in Saddar are children below 12 years of age, a visit to the area revealed.

Young girls and boys beg in the markets, at bus stops and traffic signals on the busy roads. The shoppers are repeatedly stopped by child beggars in the markets. The child beggars bug the people so much that they have to give them money to get rid of them.

Some of those children belong to professional groups but some beg because of poverty. The young children mostly are forced by their parents and guardians to beg.

Mahjabeen, who is 10, comes to Arbab Road in Saddar to beg with her six-year-old brother, who begs on Jinnah Street. “My father is a gardener and he earns Rs60 daily, which is not enough for our family of seven,” she told Dawn.—Correspondent