Beggars again seen in sensitive areas of Islamabad

Islamabad: Various groups of seasonal groups also including women and children are now doing their illegal ‘business’ even in highly sensitive Red Zone of the federal capital.

According to the details, the local administration had started a crackdown couple of weeks back to remove beggars especially from sensitive areas and spots amid terror threats in Islamabad.

It successfully carried out this operation and such spots were cleared of the beggars. But before start of the holy month of Ramadan a number of groups of beggars arrived in Islamabad. The beggars hailing from far-flung areas of the country invade big cities to reap large benefits during Ramadan. These groups are now seen everywhere even in the Red Zone where the local administration has taken extra measures to ensure security of the area. It is believed that the children accompanying the adult beggars are kidnapped and fed to this multi-million-rupee ‘industry’ of professional beggary.

The beggars are also seen outside Secretariat Mosque in the Red Zone and they chase people who come there to offer prayers. The social activists have already urged the people to discourage professional beggars and donate money only to credible and registered charity organizations. In Islamabad, some groups of beggars were also found involved in crimes in the recent past.

Absence of strict laws allows the professional beggars to avoid punishments. The relevant authorities launch crackdowns against them time and again but they can neither take any strict action against them nor send them to rehabilitation centres for longer period. So there is also a need for introducing strict laws and establishment of more rehabilitation centres to curb beggary in the society. The office of the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad in its comments stated “We will take strict action against beggars everywhere in the city.”