LAHORE, Dec 5: Whereas hundreds of thousands of government employees, industrial workers and labourers left for their hometowns to celebrate Eidul Fitr, hordes of beggars started arriving here from suburban areas on Thursday for an Eid begging spree.

Most of the visiting beggars spread in markets and bazaars where Lahorites were engaged in the last minute shopping for Eid and had made handsome alms collections.

The beggars will station themselves outside hundreds of mosques and open spaces where Eid prayers are to be offered on Friday morning to start their day with good alms collection. They will then go around the houses for collecting whatever they can and return their hometowns in the afternoon.