196 beggars arrested from city roads

RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi traffic police under its efforts for the smooth flow of traffic on the city roads have arrested as many as 196 beggars in September.

Though, the Professional beggars of Rawalpindi city are having a roaring business and there are no concrete steps to curb the menace but, City Traffic Police (CTP) is trying to play its due role to eliminate the beggars especially from the city roads.

Talking to APP here CTP spokesman said that traffic police is trying to eliminate the begging from city roads and during its efforts, as many as 52 beggars were arrested and handed over to district police in June, this year, 47 beggars were arrested in July, 128 persons on charge of begging were nabbed and handed over to district police in August while more than 196 beggars have also been arrested by the special squads of city traffic police in September.

Concerted efforts by police, administration and civil society are need of the hour to eliminate the menace. In the past, departments concerned were reluctant to take any action against beggars particularly professional ones.

Inspector City Traffic Police Azhar Mahmood giving details in this regard said that in August total 79 cases were registered against 128 persons on charge of beggary.

He informed that special squads of city traffic police with two vehicles each for Rawal region and Potohar region remain on duty on the city roads from 8am to 12pm.

He said that the handicapped beggars arrested from the roads are handed over to Edhi Foundation while Children up to 14 years age are given to Child Protection Bureau.

But, despite the efforts of city traffic police the groups of beggars mostly women and children are seen begging in markets, shopping centers, roads and streets of the city cities.

The beggars are witness everywhere particularly in Rawalpindi. Several groups of beggars have occupied main traffic signals mainly on Benazir Bhutto Road (Murree road) where one can see a lot of children and women thronging at vehicles asking for alms. The beggars use new techniques to attract people as their sole purpose is to take money from them.

Though, several drives were launched against professional beggars in the past, but the police and authorities concerned had failed to take a serious and visible action against the professional beggars in twin cities.

The government should give a serious attention to this issue and launch a massive drive against the professional beggars with the help of police, philanthropists and other social organizations.

There is also a dire need of extensive community efforts to ensure a successful and result oriented drive which otherwise would not produce the wanted results.