Staff Reporter
Begging is a curse though it has become a rampant phenomenon as taken as granted for the commuters traveling within the city mostly at the traffic signals making the lives of the citizen miserable due to negligence of the concerned authorities.
The negative aspects of the presence of such beggars and vendors have been brought home time and again, with these people indulging in snatching and theft from vehicles waiting for the lights to change but the practice continues without any bar. The traffic flow at all the roads was increasing day by day and maintaining such important task was subject to curb the presence of beggars and vendors at every signals causing a state of frustration for the commuters as well as a security threat.
In the capital city begging has become a profession as almost at every signal, everyone is greeted by beggars and vendors selling cheap products forcefully in a sympathetic manner.
The beggars and vendors gather around vehicles as soon as such stops at signals whereas the most awful thing was that the female beggars carrying infants in their laps minting charity from commuters as well as they also encourage their children to beg by giving them training of getting sympathy.
A commuter Hammad ul Hassan says, the menace of begging was increasing day by day leading such practice towards increased ratio of thefts and accidents and many other nuisance.
He was of the view that such people should earn their living and not live by just begging added that concerned authorities should have to take strict action against such elements which had become a mafia with their classified beats of begging.
Most of such beggars were professional and were doing such practice as a business by doing nothing and were minting handful money at the name of charity from people in a sympathetic manner. Another commuter Mehboob Ali said that such beggars were a menace and people who think that helping them will be a good deed were wrong as the money given to them will invariably end up in the hands of a middle man.
He said that giving money to such elements will not change their condition unless some rehabilitation done by the authorities and the elements behind such menace should be brought to justice.
When contacted in this regard, an official of the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) told that various campaigns were launched previously to curb such menace but unfortunately such elements returns after few days of action.
He said that people should have to change such phenomenon by not giving alms to such fake people added that if no one will give them money at the signals then there are chances that such practice will automatically will end up permanently.
