A sudden surge has been noticed in the number of street children in the provincial metropolis of Lahore, as children are leaving their homes in desperation on account of worsening socio-economic conditions, weakening of joint family system and tendency of poor parents to put their children on workplaces against their wishes.
Every night, around the Data Darbar shrine, a number of ragged boys lie on bedding of torn sheets and dusty sacks, beneath the gilded minarets of the shrine. The boys, most aged 8-15, sleep close together for safety and comfort. Most of these children are taking dinner from the shrine's langaar khana.
Although, the exact number of runaway children is unknown estimates by organisations working with street children show that there are over 8000 children in the city at any one time, with the largest numbers based around Data Darbar and other shrines, railway stations and parks.
An official of Edhi Foundation told Business Recorder that there were over 10,000 such children in Lahore alone. In the recent times, he confirmed surge in the number of runaway children mainly on account of domestic violence or acute socio-economic hardship.
Most of the runaway children earn their living as scavengers, selling empty bottles, cans and paper they collect each day. However, there are quite a good number of children, who are working as 'sex workers' in the vicinity of Data Darbar. These innocent boys are also involved in drug trafficking.
A number of boys offer sex, against Rs 100-300 for an hour or so with a man, under a bridge or in a room rented at a roadside hotel. "Yes, I sometimes offer a massage [a common euphemism for sex], but only when I need money and haven't eaten a meal for a few days," Nawaz, aged around 9, tells this scribe.
Some hotels in the vicinity of railway station reportedly have also hired services of these boys to please their guests.
More children living on the streets are being dragged into a life of petty crime by those running pick-pocketing or drug-pushing mafias.
"We know such things are wrong, but sometimes the men threaten us to join. They also offer money, regular food and protection," another boy says.
In recent times, there is increase in a number of dacoity incidents in the city, and police record shows involvement of teenagers in such activities.
Many of the street children face serious psychological problems, sometimes cutting themselves with razors, alongside skin infections, sexually transmitted diseases and problems arising from 'glue addiction'.
A good number of street children, particularly those based in the vicinity of Data Darbar and Minar-e-Pakistan inhale Samad Bond, a common commercial adhesive that is spread on paper or cloth, lit and smoked, or simply poured into plastic bags and sniffed, creating a temporary feeling of euphoria.
The glue is easily and cheaply available. In the long term, it can cause fatal organ damage.
Most of the street children suffer respiratory problems or stomach complaints because of this addiction, Dr Sheharyar Bhatti, Secretary General Pakistan Society of Family Physician told this scribe.
He said that the problem of street children is becoming serious, calling for immediate 'action plan' by authorities concerned to overcome the serious situation. He was of the view that street children must be settled in 'special homes' to be arranged by Social Welfare Department.
He said that cases have also been noticed that street children are using drugs through injections, which is spreading serious health complications. He urged the government to take immediate notice of the problem of street children so that society could be saved from harmful results.
He called for focusing on awareness raising about the problem and the capacity building of recovery and reintegration staff, which will be working to rehabilitate children. Nevertheless, the problem is a complex one, tied into overwhelming poverty, unemployment, violence within homes and the many social and economic frustrations families confront.
It may be mentioned that in late 1999, a psychopath, Javed Iqbal claimed as he had murdered 100 street children, and then dissolved their bodies in acid.
Javed committed suicide in mysterious circumstances at Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail two years after handing himself over to police in 2000.
Comments
Comments are closed.