Law enforcement: Police arrest 70 beggars

ISLAMABAD: Police, on Tuesday, said that a crackdown has been launched against beggars, groups of which drastically increase in number in the days before Eid. A police spokesperson said that all police stations had been directed to arrest and register cases against “professional beggars and alms-seekers” in public places. The spokesperson said that special teams had been constituted to patrol markets and conduct arrests and that on Tuesday alone, the Islamabad police arrested 70 beggars. The SSP Operations, Sajid Kiani, said “mischievous elements” wander in the city masquerading as beggars, and that strict action was needed to curb such activities. Meanwhile, the Islamabad police also impounded 150 motorbikes being driven without documents.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 29^th, 2016.