Street Begging Pays More Than a 9-5 in Pakistan

Street begging in Pakistan now reportedly pays significantly more than the average 9-5 jobs that employ skilled workers.

The long-standing urban legend of millionaire beggars proved shockingly true during a recent police operation in Karachi.

Law enforcement officials discovered at least PKR 100,000 hidden within the tattered rags of a local street beggar.

This massive sum of money apparently represented only a single day of income for the man apprehended by the police.

Local authorities identified the suspect as Akbar, who travelled from Quaidabad to the Gulshan e Iqbal area for his work.

According to SHO Kamran Qureshi: “The suspect was taken into custody after police searched his bag and found cash.”

The recovered money consisted of various denominations, including 10, 100, 500 and 1000 notes.

Akbar originally hails from Bahawalpur in Punjab, but he operates across various affluent neighbourhoods located within the city of Karachi.

His begging activities reportedly spanned several major districts, including Gulshan e Memar and Johar, along with the Nazimabad area.

Police have now registered a formal case against the suspect and transferred him to the investigation wing for further inquiry.

This incident highlights a staggering economic disparity when compared to the earnings of skilled masons, painters or even professional plumbers.

A skilled labourer in Pakistan currently earns a daily wage ranging between PKR 2,400 and PKR 3,000.

The average monthly salary in Pakistan for a good 9-5 office job in early 2026 is approximately PKR 80,000 a month.

Smaller companies often pay as little as PKR 25,000 to PKR 50,000 per month.

This economic reality is quite grim, considering that over 40% of the entire population lives below the poverty line.

Extreme inflation and high unemployment rates have forced many vulnerable citizens into the difficult life of active street-level solicitation.

Organised criminal “begging mafias” also play a significant role in the widespread presence of people begging on the city streets.

Economic instability has triggered a massive brain drain with over 800,000 citizens leaving the country in the last few years.

Skilled professionals like doctors and engineers are fleeing the nation due to the combination of low wages and high inflation.

Highly trained professionals like accountants also chose to migrate during the years of 2022 and 2023.

The contrast between a beggar earning massive sums daily and a struggling professional has shocked the entire Pakistani public.

Citizens are questioning the social system where begging proves more profitable than a lifetime of hard work and dedicated education.