1,664 professional beggars arrested

Rawalpindi: The city traffic police have arrested 1,664 professional beggars on charges of begging alms from road users for the last month, informed the City Traffic Police (CTP) spokesman here on Sunday.

Cases were registered against 34 professional beggars under 9-Vagrancy Act with different police stations. CTP has launched grand operation following the instructions of Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) against professional beggars and held 1664 from roads, squares and outside shopping malls.

Chief Traffic Officer Syed Akbar Ali said special squads have been constituted to arrest the professional beggars from the city.

He made it clear that professional beggars would be dealt with iron hand.

He said the traffic police would continue action against the beggars and would not allow them to disrupt the traffic flow. On the other hand, Professional beggary is becoming a social menace as more and more beggars including physically fit, healthy and young men, women and children are turning towards this profession.

Mosques and other religious places are also amongst the most profitable sources for the professional beggars.