RAWALPINDI: The City Traffic Police has arrested as many as 1,269 professional beggars from the city as it ramps up the campaign against them.
The Incharge Anti-Begging Squad City Traffic Police (CTP), speaking to APP, urged the citizens to play their role in discouraging professional beggars.
The CTP has lodged a large number of first information reports (FIRs) in different police stations against beggars caught from different areas, he said.
The police officer said they had been trying to eliminate begging from the city roads and many professional beggars had been caught and sent behind bars.
The squad's chief noted that out of the total beggars caught, nearly 80% were professionals.
"60% beggars caught from city roads were healthy and fit while only 20% were disabled persons and 20% were drug addicts," he informed.
A large number of beggars are brought to Rawalpindi from Southern Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and other far-flung areas of the country, who operate through contractors, he said.
Hundreds of beggar children netted from the city roads were handed over to Child Protection Bureau (CPB), the police officer added.
Barrister Gohar Ali Khan says party will publically confirm if they receive any invitation for talks
Mobile phone services face disruption in some areas of port city
No power in world can damage bilateral relations between Islamabad and Tehran, says Raisi
The majestic animal, which is elusive in nature, is rarely sighted in this area
PTI chief also makes claims about "late night arrival" of an ambulance and relevant information being kept secret
Killed terrorists were also involved in attacks on security forces, target killing and extortion, CTD says