Recently our new government has completed its hundred days. Some days ago finance minister Ishaaq Daar has announced that Pakistan is getting a loan of twelve billion dollars from International Monetary Fund (IMF). While the federal government of PML-N is keeping its policy of begging loans from IMF and other countries of world, government of same party in Punjab has taken a step in different direction. The step is to discourage begging, but its not government begging, its to discourage individuals from begging.
City district government has launched a campaign against beggars,and whoever find begging will be sent to social welfare homes. So far eighty seven (87) beggars have been caught and taken to welfare homes. Going further city government has taken a strange step to include students in this campaign too. Students will convince general public to not to give amount to beggars, but how will they do that. Well here is the planned activity for students.
Students will act as beggars on traffic signals of Lahore. They will beg amount like beggars (faqirs) from general public. But after begging the amount they will return it back, and tell that person giving amount to beggar is not the right thing to do. This way students will raise awareness among general public against beggars. City government thinks by creating awareness in such way eventually there will be a decline in amount given to beggars which eventually will discourage beggars as this field will become less lucrative.
To encourage participation of students, there is cash prize of One lakh for the student with the best performance, second prize is of fifty thousand rupees. So far the institutes participating in this campaign are GC University, University of Education and University of Veterenary and Animal Sciences. Here is the actual news published one day ago.
Do share your thoughts on this campaign and whether this campaign will be successful in achieving its goals or not.
Rashid Nazir Ali