ISLAMABAD, Apr 20 (APP):The people belonging to twin cities of Islamabad/Rawalpindi have demanded of the authorities concerned to take effective steps to discourage the practice of beggary and its related mafia from the society.
According to PTV news report aired on Tuesday, it was said that: “Beggars of all aged group including women, children, young girls and elderly people are seen frequently on city’s footpaths, markets, shops, seeking alms and charity from every customer and pedestrian during the holy month of Ramazan”.
While talking to citizens, this scribe told that the influx of beggars arriving to cities on temporary basis in the holy month of Ramazan and it has become a routine matter over the years, however authority concerned keep checking this social evil with iron hands thus the public should also co-operate with the authorities to crush this evil practice.
“These beggars halting the smooth flow of traffic and causing hardships for commuters in Ramazan. Most of these beggar mafias use children and women for begging”, said a commuter while talking to this scribe.
“Beggars have made the lives of citizens miserable specially in Ramazan as they chase them and force them into giving them money,” moans a citizen.
The number of these professional beggers get increased near Iftar time when people throng to bazaars for buying fruits and other foodstuffs, said another citizen.
“Female beggars have become a nuisance that is unbearable while shopping in bazaars and markets”, said a female citizen.
These beggars can frequently be seen in city markets and busy roads and even in the residential areas for ‘timely’ collection of alms and other Ramazan related charities from the general public, said a shopkeeper.
Another citizen advised that we should give priority to our poor relatives first while giving charity instead of giving preference to these organized mafias.
“These beggars sometimes scare my customers to get away of them during shopping”, said a shopkeeper A traffic police official commented that people should not give money or other goods to beggars and action would be taken against them if they are to be found roaming around traffic signals without valid reasons.