CHILD begging is one of the most common issues in Pakistan. Every day, we see hundreds of children begging at traffic signals or shops. They are termed professional beggars who feed their mafias. As is obvious, these children do not choose the fate for themselves. The ignorance and poor societal standards have led us to overlook the fact that they are still innocent like any other child. They do not deserve to stay hungry, roam barefooted, or survive in ragged clothes. They have an equal right to be able to live a decent life.

To be honest, we as a society have failed to play our part. We talk about the role of government and NGOs and blame them for not doing enough, but fail to realise our own responsibility. The question is not what should, or should not be given to them, but rather what they deserve as human beings. The least we can do is to treat these children with love and compassion.

Tooba Khan
Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2022