LAHORE Call them either sorcerers or experts of black magic, fortune-tellers, soothsayers, and even more, they are becoming spiritualists of the societys vulnerable, looting, exploiting and manipulating the latter, while there is no legislation to curb their malicious practices, and the law comes to action only when a 'heinous crime murder, rape and more than this is committed. However, most of the criminal indulgences go unreported since both the culprits and the exploited do not want to be exposed to the people, since stigma is attached to both of them, and overall majority of the society rejects the practices, and the doers. It has been repeatedly told to the people from various sources, and even the visitors have doubts in their minds about the truthfulness and veracity of these so-called Babas, even then everyday news pour in the newsroom baskets to be printed and telecast about the exploitation, which is continuing unabatedly. More than often, these 'criminals offer their services to women seeking to put spells on men or to have children, and to people suffering from various diseases. Though it can be stated to be more popular among the uneducated, even then the big fish are the educated and modern-cum-liberal ladies, who are wishing to take control of their unbridled spouses, and estranged family members, especially women. Interestingly, this 'gang is prospering because of their clientele, which comprises females mainly. This weaker sex becomes more vulnerable, and they go to the last extent of troubling their 'enemies which are mostly from their families and are of the same sex. The so-called 'influenced actually then go back to the same witch-hunters to get themselves cured, and they also resort to the taking revenge upon the wrongdoers; this way the cycle never breaks, and also the business is becoming bigger with every passing day. Consequently, everyday at least scores of people are looted, females sexually exploited, and placed under the evil influence of black magic, and in turn people reach out to them to get themselves cleared of the ill omens. Research shows that the first step of these people indulging in the dubious business, is advertisement, which is displayed across all the media from wall-chalking to pamphlets, to print and electronic media. Quite few media organisations have stopped printing and telecasting such ads, but many are still continuing for business sake. Seeing its ill effects, the government of Saudi Arabia, through its morality police, is reported to be in the process of launching a programme to combat witchcraft and sorcery. The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, also known as the muttawa, was to create teams, especially trained to eradicate the practices. The plan was aimed at developing people to work in the field on cases of witchcraft and sorcery to protect the society and raise public awareness. This was done after the Saudi Ulema expressed their concern over the operations of self-described fortune-tellers, mystics, magicians and others, who work fell outside the purview of the rules of Islam. It had been observed that some of these are especially popular among immigrant workers from Africa inside Saudi Arabia, more than hundreds of thousands. Also after observing exploitation, an Indian provincial government is also seeking ban to stop charlatans preying on the vulnerable. Many superstitions are widely held in the country, but a campaign group was lobbying hard for a new law to outlaw several exploitative activities, with penalties of fines or up to seven years in jail. But the push to pass the law has not received unanimous support, which is being so because it has been feared that the legislation sought to move beyond the excesses and might be used to curb cherished religious freedom.