Authorities arrested at least 70 beggars and drug addicts during a crackdown here on Thursday, officials said. Those arrested include women and children.
District Coordination Officer Peshawar Siraj Ahmed Khan told The Express Tribune that these arrests were made due to the increasing number of beggars on city roads, roundabouts and bazaars.
He said that the crackdown was started from Hayatabad and he personally supervised the arrest of at least 40 beggars and drug addicts. He said the arrests were made under Vagrancy act 1956, which authorizes the government to detain those involved in beggary. The provincial assembly has also passed a child protection act recently, which empowers authorities to take child beggars into custody, he added.
Those arrested will have to submit a bond in court pledging they will not indulge in begging again before they are set free.
The children will be sent to welfare homes. He said they will continue their crackdown.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2011.
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