PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed the Social Welfare Department to frame an effective law to curb professional beggary as it is becoming a nuisance for the province.
He said this while chairing a progress review meeting of the Social Welfare Department at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.
According to an official handout, the chief minister stated that networks of professional beggars exploited children and women.
He directed the Social Welfare Department to take measures to free the helpless children and women from these professional networks and make arrangements for their rehabilitation.
Mahmood Khan expressed concern over the influx of beggars from other provinces, adding stern measures should be undertaken to discourage the trend.
He said exploitation of helpless toddlers, children and women was the worst form of cruelty under the nose of the state which cannot be tolerated.
The chief minister directed the officials of the department to finalize arrangements for the inauguration of the Senior Citizens Support Centre and Bolo Helpline by the end of this month.
Earlier, Mahmood Khan was briefed on the achievements and future goals of the Social Welfare Department.
He was informed that a total of 2794 disabled persons had been registered during the past eight months out of which 1103 members were provided with equipment necessary for minimizing their disabilities.
The chief minister was told that in eight months, 300 special persons had been provided with financial assistance.
Moreover, in the newly merged tribal districts, 7468 children were provided with mine risk education whereas 6768 children were imparted training to escape physical abuse and violence.
The chief minister was told that in the merged districts, 7389 children had also been provided with entertainment facilities whereas Child Protection Clusters were formed in Khyber and North Waziristan districts.
The officials informed Mahmood Khan that efforts were underway to impart skill development training by establishing special centres in the merged districts. The centres will enable people to have livelihood opportunities.
A total of 1532 women in the merged districts were provided with sewing machines so as to enable them to earn a livelihood.
The meeting was also informed that the registration process was also underway under which 65,000 elders and 527 transgender persons have been registered. It was added that 227 transgender persons had been provided with Sehat Insaf Cards for free healthcare.
It was informed that the department planned to extend the scope of ongoing projects, construction of shelter homes at the divisional level, provision of cards to senior citizens, construction of buildings for social welfare departments, construction of social welfare complexes in the merged districts and other related welfare initiatives.