Islamabad: In a rare moment of honesty, Pakistan's government recently told the National Assembly that over 5,000 Pakistani beggars have been sent back from different countries since 2024. This includes 4,498 from Saudi Arabia alone. That’s a huge number, and it shows that begging is not just a street activity — it’s become a global operation.
Begging or a New Kind of Business?
What’s shocking is not just the number of deportations but the way begging is being done. A viral video earlier this year showed a Pakistani woman revealing that her husband’s family — with their big house, luxury cars, and even a swimming pool — made all their money by begging. The woman, a doctor, said she didn’t know she was marrying into a family of rich beggars.
Two Kinds of Beggars
There seems to be two types of beggars:
Cautious Beggars – These are the ones who beg quietly, live in poverty, and are afraid to take big risks.
Daring Beggars – These are bold and smart. They travel abroad, know how to dress poor, act helpless, and pull in money like professionals.
The daring ones have made panhandling a proper business model. Some even earn more than working people, thanks to their clever tactics.
Skills Like Marketing
Begging, believe it or not, takes planning and skill, just like running a business. The successful beggars know how to look sad, wear torn clothes, and speak in a way that makes others feel sorry for them — much like how marketers sell products.
Future of This Strange Business
Now that many have been caught and deported, beggars may try new countries or smarter tricks. Some in Pakistan may even feel proud, as India’s defence minister recently joked that “the line of beggars starts wherever Pakistan stands.” For the daring ones, it may just feel like a compliment to their business skills.
This growing issue raises questions not just about poverty, but about how survival, cleverness, and even dishonesty can mix to create a new kind of profession.
