Around and through the niches of Lahore we see children, beggars, women, young and the old with their lives wretched and crippling of homelessness and sorrow.
One such place is the Data Darbar Shrine where children, notably boys aged between eight and 15, sleep on torn beddings without safety and comfort a home. They live of the shrine's huge langar (free kitchen).
SCALE OF PROBLEM
The true scale of the problem is unknown, since there is not a single working organization in Pakistan with the accurate number or figure of the runaway children. To give a lose view an organization working with the street children is reported to have said that at least 5000 runaway children sweep the city streets at any one time.
According to an estimation made by a charitable organization by the name Edhi Foundation, that has devoted homes for runaway children and programs to unite them with their parents there are at least 10,000 such children in Karachi alone. This number is constantly increasing, mainly due to domestic violence or acute socio-economic hardship which children refuse to bear. Other sources suggest there are more than a million runaway children across the country. Most earn their living from selling the empty bottles, cans and paper they collect each day through garbage and rubbish littered on the streets and dumping places.
SURVIVING ON THE STREETS
Some beg, some offer sex, some massage as an alternate earning up to 500 rupees
for an hour or so with a man to provide themselves with food and hopefully shelter. Such cruel and undignified practices are conveniently present in places like minar-e-pakistan, data darbar and railway station. More and more children are then drawn to petty crimes of pick-pocketing, drug selling to become professional criminals.
HEALTH RISKS
Many of the children suffer deep psychological problems, sometimes they harm themselves through different means, for instance by cutting themselves with razors. Skin disorders, sexually transmitted diseases and other problems arise from glue addiction. Most of the street children in the city inhale Samad Bond, which is a common commercial adhesive that comes cheap and easy, it also damages body organs it used over prolonged periods.
One such place is the Data Darbar Shrine where children, notably boys aged between eight and 15, sleep on torn beddings without safety and comfort a home. They live of the shrine's huge langar (free kitchen).
SCALE OF PROBLEM
The true scale of the problem is unknown, since there is not a single working organization in Pakistan with the accurate number or figure of the runaway children. To give a lose view an organization working with the street children is reported to have said that at least 5000 runaway children sweep the city streets at any one time.
According to an estimation made by a charitable organization by the name Edhi Foundation, that has devoted homes for runaway children and programs to unite them with their parents there are at least 10,000 such children in Karachi alone. This number is constantly increasing, mainly due to domestic violence or acute socio-economic hardship which children refuse to bear. Other sources suggest there are more than a million runaway children across the country. Most earn their living from selling the empty bottles, cans and paper they collect each day through garbage and rubbish littered on the streets and dumping places.
SURVIVING ON THE STREETS
Some beg, some offer sex, some massage as an alternate earning up to 500 rupees
for an hour or so with a man to provide themselves with food and hopefully shelter. Such cruel and undignified practices are conveniently present in places like minar-e-pakistan, data darbar and railway station. More and more children are then drawn to petty crimes of pick-pocketing, drug selling to become professional criminals.
HEALTH RISKS
Many of the children suffer deep psychological problems, sometimes they harm themselves through different means, for instance by cutting themselves with razors. Skin disorders, sexually transmitted diseases and other problems arise from glue addiction. Most of the street children in the city inhale Samad Bond, which is a common commercial adhesive that comes cheap and easy, it also damages body organs it used over prolonged periods.
