Authorities have intensified operations against professional beggars in various localities of District Rawalpindi as part of an ongoing campaign to curb organised begging.
Preliminary reports suggest that a significant number of those detained during the operation belong to different regions of South Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh. Officials believe many of them are part of organised groups that move between cities.
119 beggars arrested, 112 FIRs registered
The Anti-Beggar Squad of the City Traffic Police Rawalpindi has intensified its operations against professional beggars. During the month of February, 119 beggars were arrested, and 112 FIRs were registered.
Inspector Ghazi Waqar, in charge of the Anti-Beggar Squad, stated that most of the beggars arrested during recent operations belong to various areas of South Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh.
He said many of them reside in different parts of Rawalpindi and operate under a contractor-based system that organises begging activities across the city. According to him, police teams are carrying out daily operations against such individuals.
Chief Traffic Officer Rawalpindi Farhan Aslam, while appreciating the performance of the Anti-Beggar Squad, said that more than 80 per cent of beggars in the city are professionals.
He added that the Traffic Police’s Anti-Beggar Squad is actively working to address the issue and reduce their presence at major intersections.
The CTO further stated that professional beggars not only disrupt the smooth flow of traffic but are also sometimes linked to criminal activities. He noted that their numbers increase significantly during Ramadan and Eid, when they move to busy markets and traffic signals.
Officials said the Anti-Beggar Squad is utilising all available resources to remove beggars from key intersections, commercial centres, and busy roads across Rawalpindi.
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