KARACHI, Jan 7: The powerful beggars' Mafia of the city, which never falls short of innovative tricks to loot citizens, has come up with another novel way to fleece them in broad daylight.
With wipers in the hands, these beggars, comprising teenaged girls and children hardly over seven or eight years, fall on automobiles at main roundabouts of almost all important city thoroughfares as soon as the traffic light goes red. Raggedly clothed, they move quickly from one car to another to generate as more charity as they can.
After painting a few strokes with their wet hand-held wipers on the windscreens, they extend their begging hand towards the motorists. And usually, the widow pan comes down and a generous hand pushes some small currency notes into the waiting hand.
The vitality and skills of these kids running between the heavy traffic during the brief interval of the twinkling of the traffic signal is worth watching. But at the same time, one shivers with fear that these little fellows might get crushed under the wheels of some hasty car.
The 'business' is indeed risky, but the returns are also very encouraging. These beggar artists have well learnt that shouting loud in buses and minibuses pays them little, as commuters usually belong to the working classes, with little money to spare for alms.
It is; however, different on the road. The motorist community is relatively well off and their charities also come out in bigger currency bills. It may be recalled that the City Nazim, Niamatullah Khan, had launched an anti-beggary drive in the city, soon after talking office. However, it soon faded away.
It must also be mentioned that roundabouts where these beggars exhibit their art are well guarded by the traffic police personnel. A van of some law-enforcing agency is usually seen parked on the roadside.
It is not a usual affair to run a business at this juncture, and neither is every Tom, Dick, and Harry allowed to beg here. It is said that only those members of the beggar Mafia can operate there, who have allegedly given the highest bid during the 'auction' of this precious spot.
Meanwhile, additional swathes of beggars are pouring into the city, nowadays, planning to do a roaring business during the three days of Eidul Azha. Crowds of beggars from various parts of the country can be seen boarding off buses and trains. One can only hope that the city government or other concerned authority does something to save the kind-hearted residents from the beggar Mafia. - PPI