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Singer Bilal Maqsood is drawing the health ministry’s attention to the plight of young children covered in shiny paint while begging for money on the streets of Karachi, warning about the “extremely harmful” chemicals found in the paint they use.

In an Instagram post with a picture of a child beggar coated in gold paint, Maqsood addressed the health ministry and said that so many children could be found on Karachi’s Khayaban-e-Ittehad and Sea View with “their faces painted with shiny silver or gold paint, performing on the streets in this heat”.

“What’s heartbreaking is that the paint is often made from aluminium powder or lead-based chemicals, which are extremely harmful. Prolonged exposure, especially under the sun, can cause serious skin issues and even lead to skin cancer.”

Maqsood urged the ministry to do something about the matter and “educate and protect these children before it’s too late.”

The singer ended his post by calling for help because he did not know whom to tag about the matter.

Many agreed with Maqsood, with model Fatima Hasan and actor Areeba Habib both commenting on the post. Habib dubbed it a “sad” ordeal and thanked the singer for raising awareness.

In recent days, more and more young children and adults have doused themselves in metallic paint before begging for money in an attempt to capture the attention of passersby.