KARACHI:
As Karachiites shiver in an unusually cold snap, the bustling metropolitan city loses its archetypal cacophony at night. While many retreat to the warmth of their cozy homes, snuggling under soft comforters and blankets, a stark reality plays out on the city’s sidewalks, which morph into a shelter for its homeless population.
These “denizens of footpath” brave the harsh cold under the open sky. By day, makeshift marketplaces pop up on these footpaths; by night, they become a refuge for the homeless. “The homeless include men, women, children, and the elderly. Many also struggle with drug addiction,” said Nisar Ahmed, the in-charge of a rescue organisation in the Bohra Pir area. He attributed the ballooning population of homeless people to increasing inflation and other socio-economic challenges.
The areas such as Keamari, Saddar, Korangi, Lyari, and Gulistan-e-Jauhar are hotspots for footpath dwellers, Nisar said. In the absence of reliable data, it is difficult to assess the true scale of this issue. Many of these homeless people toil or beg during the day, but at night, they return to the footpaths or take refuge under bridges and flyovers.
Muhammad Naeem, who works for a welfare organisation which gives away free food near Jamia Cloth Market, said: “Unlike those who sleep in warm beds, these dissolute people rely on cardboard, plastic sacks, or worn-out sheets to keep themselves warm. Donations of warm clothes, blankets, and comforters have dwindled this year due to inflation,” he added.
The cold has been particularly unforgiving for the elderly and children. “Many of the homeless shiver through the night, and they desperately need help,” said rickshaw driver Bashir Ahmed, who lives in Lyari.
Laila, a 60-year-old woman homeless in Ranchhor Line, considers the sidewalk her home. “I left my house years ago. This footpath is my family now,” she said. Using cardboard as her bed and a shawl donated by a stranger as her comforter, she appealed for help to survive the cold snap.
“I wash dishes at a hotel to earn food. At night, I try to stay warm by burning scraps of wood and paper. It’s not enough, but it’s all we have,” 70-year-old Ahmed told The Express Tribune.
Chaudhry Shahid, a spokesperson for a rescue organisation, said there was an urgent need to help these people. “The homeless need warm clothes, quilts, and mattresses. Many succumb to the cold each year, and our organisation often handles their burials,” he said.
Shahid appealed to the government to set up temporary shelters and called on philanthropists to help the homeless. A blanket and mattress, which cost around Rs2,000, could save a life. Yet, for these footpath dwellers, even this amount is out of reach.
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