Abdullah’s Call to Conscience

Asem Mustafa Awan

Islamabad: Abdullah, a small child not even ten years of age, needs over 10 hours of sleep, yet he sits under the scorching sun, selling mint leaves to survive.

Before the monsoon rains, a passerby woke him from a deep sleep on the pavement, his head dangling over a sewage stream. Instead of offering help, people made videos as if he were a spectacle, not a vulnerable child in desperate need.

His entire day’s merchandise, stacked mint leaves worth no more than 200 rupees, lay before him. When his earnings were examined, Abdullah displayed a mere 50 rupees, barely enough to buy two or three naan breads. The relentless heat, which claimed many lives, was just another obstacle for him. This is not an isolated incident; it’s a reflection of a systemic failure.

Pakistan, often called the “Land of the Pure,” makes tall claims about its policies, but these benefits only a select few, leaving children like Abdullah to succumb to disease and hunger on the footpaths. Reports indicate that 26 million children are out of school, primarily due to poverty and poor management.

Generations are lost as government vacancies are sold for life’s savings, perpetuating corruption and inequality.

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/hang-them-high/

Abdullah’s plight underscores the harsh reality that child welfare offices cater to only a fortunate few. Within a five-mile radius of these offices, countless children suffer in silence, their voices unheard. Elite corruption siphons off resources meant for the needy, with funds for flood relief and poverty eradication ending up in offshore accounts.

These amounts could easily pay off national debts, but the money never reaches the intended recipients.

Children like Abdullah become pawns in the hands of policymakers, used to amass international donations while their plight remains unchanged. Those responsible for flooding entire villages and cities in Sindh by breaching dams are never held accountable. Thousands suffer to protect the interests of the powerful elite, whose thousands of acres are safeguarded at the expense of human lives.

Abdullah’s story is a call to conscience. It demands that we address the systemic corruption and negligence that allow such suffering to persist. It challenges policymakers to implement genuine reforms and create a society where every child has a chance to thrive.

Abdullah’s silent scream must be heard, and his plea must lead to action.

Photo Credit: ScreenGrabe

Asem Mustafa Awan has extensive reporting experience with leading national and international media organizations. He has also contributed to reference books such as the Alpine Journal and the American Alpine Journal, among other international publications.