Jawaan

A midst a cluster of tattered hovels some gypsy youngsters while away their time. Lying on charpoys, scattered pairs on the right and left talk idly as some act as caregivers for their younger siblings. Two teenagers standing nearby enjoy the latest ring tones of their cell phones. The frequent laughing among themselves is indicative of the fact that they have little to care about in this challenging world.

However, there is one who stands out in this group. Mohammad Khalid, another youth seen nearby is not so carefree. Dressed in a clean shalwar kameez, the 20-year-old Khalid flicks through the pages of a textbook, Calculus with Analytic Geometry, as he waits for one of his class fellows to accompany him to the nearby mosque for Asr prayers. The second child of 10 born to gypsy parents, Khalid is a Bachelor’s of science student in the nearby government college of Chakwal.

Leading a life of extreme poverty, the gypsies live from hand to mouth. Most of the time they beg to survive. Khalid’s parents, however, dreamt of a decent life for their children. That is why they decided to not let themselves get in the way of a proper education for them. Khalid will soon be completing his graduation in maths and physics while his three younger brothers also attend school. This is commendable when compared to other gypsy families in the area who push their offspring into becoming an earning hand as soon as possible. Poverty is cited as a hindrance in educating the children. Working as farm labourers, Khalid’s parents earn around Rs5,000 a month but Khalid himself is not allowed to work whenever he seeks their permission to do so.

It was years ago when Mashooq Ali, Khalid’s father first decided to change his destiny. Back in Multan, where he used to live then, he would often admire a lawyer who lived near his settlement.

“I envied his neat appearance, clean clothes, car, etc. But having attended school only up to class four, I couldn’t even dare to dream for all that for myself. But my children will be given a chance,” says Mashooq, who would often wonder if they would get the same respect from society which the lawyer enjoyed.

“I want my children to study but how far they go in their endeavours is entirely up to them,” he adds.

Khalid who initially opted for science subjects, is now of the view that the engineering discipline would cost him much more. So he is thinking of taking up law next.

Khalid’s mother, who has always longed for a piece of land and a home of her own, has also put her dreams on hold as the family’s vision to educate the children is something far more important.

“Almost everyone here seeks alms in the streets,” says Shah Mohammad, Khalid’s uncle. “We have been beggars for generations and it would be a meaningful thing if any of us can get out of it,” he says with a glint in his eye.

Time and again the youth of the Perhayar clan joined schools but dropped out at various stages. They also planned to rear cattle as a means of livelihood to get out of beggary but whenever there was a shortage of money, they would sell the buffalo. How far these people succeed in living a respectful life depends upon how much resolute and courage they can gather. Not everyone is like the young man’s parents.

But then society too should offer them some support.

In Khalid’s case, his college authorities realised their moral obligation. When he approached to register as a regular student after the closing of admissions, they persuaded him to join a private college. Later they also let him join tuition groups for free. The gentleman who owns the land where these gypsies are camping for now, has also decided to let them stay for as long as they need to.

At a time when more and more science graduates; skeptic of higher education and driven by financial burdens, are opting to become patwaris and police constables, how long would Khlaid’s parents wait to make him a role model like the one who inspired his father decades ago? And how far would the legal fraternity go to accommodate a colleague coming from a socially excluded group?