Several beggars arrested in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: The Social Welfare Department on Monday arrested 57 professional beggars, including 27 women, in an intelligence-based operation against beggars, their handlers and contractors in the provincial capital.

Officials of the Social Welfare Department with the assistance of police launched the crackdown in Peshawar and arrested 57 beggars in Hashtnagri, Firdous, Chowk Yadgar, General Bus Stand, Shoba Bazaar, FC Chowk, Stadium Chowk and other localities.

The cases against these professional beggars were registered under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Vagrancy Restraint Act and section 188. The female constable also took part in the action.The government has launched the operation against begging in Peshawar, Charsadda and Nowshera in the first phase and the operation would be extended to other parts of the province in the next phase.

It had first collected data of the professional beggars in the provincial capital. The intelligence report had identified 1,356 professional beggars and 21 contractors in Peshawar.Four contractors have already been arrested while arrest warrants for the remaining 17 have been issued.The government had said that deserving people would be sent to Darul Kafala. The government would launch action against drug addicts in the next phase.