Crackdown on professional beggars begins

PESHAWAR: An operation targeting professional beggars commenced in Peshawar on Wednesday to dismantle organized networks exploiting vulnerable individuals across the city.

Eight specialized teams, including officials from the district administration, Social Welfare Department, Excise Department, Peshawar Police, Rescue 1122, and Civil Defence, were deployed for the operation. Hundreds of professional beggars, including women and children, were detained. Commissioner Riaz Khan Mahsud, who heads the campaign, stated:”This initiative is not merely about removing beggars from the streets but about addressing the organized exploitation that fuels this practice.”