K-P to crack whip on professional begging

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has taken notice of the issue of professional beggary in the province and has decided to initiate proper legislation to effectively address the problem.

The move aims to curb the practice of forced begging, particularly involving children and disabled individuals, and to create a safe environment for the general public.

In this regard, a letter has been sent from the Chief Minister's Secretariat to the Chief Secretary, directing the preparation and enactment of a new law titled "Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Vagrancy (Control and Rehabilitation) Act."

The main objective of this legislation is to counter organized and exploitation-based criminal activities associated with professional beggary.

The letter calls for the formation of a multi-departmental committee under the supervision of the Secretary Social Welfare. The committee will include representation from relevant departments such as law, local government, police, the child protection commission, Bureau of Statistics, the commissioner and deputy commissioner of Peshawar, NGOs, and civil society.

The committee has been instructed to present the draft law, along with an operational and enforcement framework, within thirty days. The proposed law is expected to clearly define and categorize child and forced begging, professional beggary, vagrancy, and related activities.

It will prescribe penalties for those who use children, disabled individuals, or drug addicts in begging and will criminalize the operation, funding, or sheltering of organized begging groups. In addition, the law will include punishments for professional beggars who obstruct public movement or harass citizens.

Designated officers from the police, social welfare, and local government departments will be authorized to apprehend violators and take legal action against them. The letter also proposes the establishment of a WhatsApp hotline for citizens to report professional beggars. Through this service, people will be able to upload pictures and share information about individuals involved in child exploitation or professional begging.

The legislation will also declare key public areas such as traffic points, bus terminals, and markets as "No Begging Zones." Provisions for on-the-spot fines and summary trials of offenders are to be included in the law. To help identify and monitor repeat offenders, the use of AI-based facial recognition or biometric systems has been recommended.