KARACHI, Oct 13: Karachi, already plagued by the menace of beggary involving over two million professional beggars around the country, is set to host thousands of beggar families expected to arrive here during the month of Sha'aban.

With the advent of the holy month of Ramazan, faithful start assessing their assets and income to determine the amount of zakat they would have to donate as per their religious obligation. Moreover, they spare extra money for the poor, destitute and other deserving people in this month.

The collective amount of Zakat, charity, alms, etc. distributed usually in Ramazan by people living in Karachi appeared to be many times higher than contributed by people of other cities, the main factors being population and the higher number financially sound citizens.

For decades together, professional beggars invade the metropolis in the month of Sha'aban and virtually take up 'positions' in the areas of their choice, in most cases under the guidance of well-organized and well-established mafia having a strong network across the country.

Scores of thousands of professional beggars live in different parts of Karachi with their families. They usually erect a kutcha structure on an open plot, abandoned streets and roads, kutchi abadis, under passes, footpaths, playgrounds, etc., and consolidate their residence gradually, often with the active support of local police. The process is supervised and facilitated by the mafia.

During the month of Sha'ban and Ramazan, a mushroom growth of such structures may be witnessed in posh localities which in other months house relatively lower number of beggars' homes.

No town in Karachi has, at present, less than one thousand beggars' homes with an average eight-member family. This means that no less than 150,000 beggars are already 'at work' in the metropolis. According to a survey, the minimum earning of such a family is Rs500 a day if it is not involved in any other illegal activity.

Their strength and earning increase in Ramazan several hundred times. Numerous efforts by successive governments in combating the menace, especially in the holy month, have proved fruitless mainly because of the lack of will and determination on the part of police to deal with the mafia sternly, corruption being the secondary factor.

Despite an 'effective planning' by the city government to contain beggary in the upcoming month, people do not hold much hope for a success. The influx of beggar families from other provinces and interior of Sindh, though not at a big level yet, has already begun and this justifies the general impression.

The mafia which patronizes beggary not only helps the families travel to Karachi, but also facilitates their accommodation, besides providing them all sorts of protection.

Chief Secretary Aslam Sanjrani recently directed the city government that the menace of beggary be curbed effectively. He suggested that a big operation be launched against professional beggars simultaneously with an awareness drive to educate general public on the adverse effects of their generous donations in the shape of zakat, charity, alms etc.

He is of the view that prestige of the whole nation would be at stake if the menace is allowed to grow out of proportion. His views are subscribed by many in the government as well as general public.

An anti-beggary drive was launched last year by the city government. In this regard, a seminar was also held where speakers revealed that professional beggars were very much involved in encroachment of state land, narcotics trade, prostitution, child-lifting, and other crimes. They pointed out that for the sake of money, the beggars always remained ready to help criminals.

A study conducted at national level says that begging is patronized by notorious gangs which organize the trade in a professional manner, allotting high-income spots and determining area limits of the allottees on contract basis.

The base of their command is the influence they enjoy in the file and rank of law-enforcement agencies as well as certain government departments. Apart from the contracts, 'begging rights' on day to day basis are also regularized by the gangs.

The study indicates that professional beggars are mostly found in the kutchi abadis at Hassan Square, Gujjar Nala, Rashid Minhas Road, Nai Abadi (opposite Rangers office), Gulshan-i- Ghazi, Saeedabad police station, Ghous Nagar, Baldia Town and Ittehad Town.

Property business is yet another area where beggars make a lot of money. Their modus operandi appeared to be grabbing government land, as identified by their mentors, and consolidating their occupation.

The practice is followed by more families brought in by the mafia so as to transform the land into a populated locality with a view to get the area declared a 'kutchi abadi' at an appropriate time. When the kutchi abadi is regularized, the occupying beggar families sell it at a considerably high price.