Iqra Khan

On Eid day I recalled a heart touching incident that would remain in me forever. A little girl of around  5 year age was begging in Saddar bazaar, Rawalpindi. I watched her keenly as she was roaming with a ‘kashkol‘ (a begging bowl) in her hand. The kashkol had few coins in it.

What came next was shocking and unexpected from a beggar, let alone a 5 year old beggar. As I was passing by, my eyes followed her cute hands putting all those coins in a charity box stating chanda bara -e- tameer- e –masjid (contribution for construction of a mosque).

She was so innocent, so pure and real in her gesture that I was stunned and speechless. Many people were passing by. Hardly anyone noticed her. She did not even need that attention but she stole my heart in that very moment. 

Today, while celebrating Eid I was thinking about that girl. How did she celebrate her Eid? And then there was a trail of questions. 

  • If a poor child can be so selfless, why can’t we be? Why can’t we abandon any of our luxuries and help poor with basic necessities of life?
  • If a child can be caring, why don’t we care about sensitive hearts and feelings of street children. Why can’t we just be nice to them rather than scolding them.  After all they are children. Financial help isn’t always the answer.
  • When would we stop looking down upon poor people. The ones who spend the supposedly happiest of days in miseries?
  • Why was that cute girl on the road for begging? Poverty or abduction by begging mafia?
  • If poverty was the reason, why our government failed to address, at least the child poverty?
  • If kidnapping and begging mafia was the reason, why police and other authorities can’t take actions against them?

I don’t have answers at the moment but I am concerned that millions of such children need immediate attention. Prime Minister Imran Khan talked about street children in his inaugural speech. The results are awaited. The change is awaited.  

Ms Iqra Khan is a student of a Medical University in Islamabad, Pakistan. Comments can be sent crvoices@gmail.com