Over 900 beggars arrested

Islamabad:The Islamabad Capital Territory Administration in coordination with the police has arrested more than 900 alms-seekers in a month under its campaign against the professional begging.

Out of the total arrested beggars, 45 per cent of them were male, 38 per cent female, 7 per cent of minors and 10 per cent of transgenders, an official told APP on Monday. He said the teams were constituted which was led by the relevant assistant commissioners and magistrates to run the anti-begging campaign across the capital.

In a recent update provided by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) spokesman, Dr Abdullah Tabassum, it was revealed that a staggering 921 individuals engaged in begging were apprehended over the last one month, spanning from March to April. He said that beggar mafias became more active during the holy month of Ramazan.

Upon arrest, professional beggars were promptly escorted to the nearest police station for further processing, while minors found amongst them were compassionately directed to the Edhi Centre for proper care and support. To a query, he said District administration caught minor beggars and handed over to shelter homes and Edhi centres but later they gave affidavit or fine to authorities and went Scot-free.

On the directions of Deputy Commissioner, Islamabad, he said that crackdown against the professional begging would be continued by the ICT administration in the federal capital till the elimination of alms-seekers from our society.