CTP gears up operation against beggars

Official says 2,112 of them were rounded up in August alone

RAWALPINDI:

The City Traffic Police (CTP) have geared up their ongoing operation against professional beggars and netted 2,112 in August.

According to a CTP spokesperson, CTP rounded up 2,112 beggars from different city roads during August, while several FIRs were also lodged against professional beggars.

“With the help of the citizens, the scourge of begging can be eradicated from the society,” said City Traffic Officer (CTO) spokesperson.

He said that out of total nearly 80 per cent beggars roaming in the city are professional while 60 percent beggars caught from city roads were fit and healthy and only 20 per cent were disabled persons and 20 per cent were drug addicts, he added.

He said that special anti-beggars squads had been formed to nab the professional beggars. He said that they were trying to eliminate begging from the city roads. The beggar children arrested on the city roads were handed over to Child Protection Welfare Bureau (CPWB).

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The CTP along with Rawalpindi district police were conducting raids at different roads and intersections and action under the law was taken against the beggars, he said, adding that directives had also been issued to the squad to register cases against the beggars and the report would be sent to CTO office regularly.

The spokesperson said that 10 beggar children netted from the city roads were handed over to CPWB. Many beggars were brought to Rawalpindi from far-flung areas of the country and operating through contractors, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2021.