AS soon as the holy month of Zilhaj starts, markets start overflowing with cattle, and city streets with beggars. Unfortunately, the culture of begging is flourishing across the country, especially in urban centres. It has practically turned into an industry, where gang leaders and organisers live luxurious lifestyles at the expense of helpless people.

Recently, a relative opened a restaurant in a posh area. As a responsible citizen, he preferred to hire people from among roadside beggars for cleaning, dishwashing and serving jobs, offering them attractive wages and benefits. Surprisingly, none of them agreed to take respectable employment because they were already earning more through begging. This is certainly not an isolated example.

It is the collective responsibility of both the government and the public to condemn and discourage this practice through every possible legal and social means. The government should declare professional begging a punishable crime under the law. However, instead of leaving everything to the government, people should stop giving money to roadside beggars or those who knock at their doors. There are several charitable organisations already working sincerely to help the needy. We should donate to such organisations.

Above all, we must make it a principle not to encourage professional begging. Around us are many respectable, self-respecting and white-collar individuals living modest lives and silently struggling with financial hardship. They deserve our support far more than do professional beggars, and we should help them without hurting their dignity or self-respect.

Aamir Aqil
Lahore

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2026