RAWALPINDI, Mar 05 (APP):The City Traffic Police (CTP) on Thursday said it had arrested 119 professional beggars during a city-wide crackdown and registered cases against them under the Vagrancy Act.
Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Farhan Aslam said that during the past month, the CTP apprehended 119 beggars and registered 112 cases under Section 9 of the Vagrancy Act.
Of those detained, 95 were women, 18 men and six transgender persons, he said, adding that the individuals hailed from different areas of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh.
The CTO said an organised contractor-based system was involved in forcing people into begging.
“More than 80 per cent of the beggars in Rawalpindi are professionals,” he said, adding that their presence “disrupts the smooth flow of traffic, particularly at busy intersections”.
He noted that the number of beggars increased significantly during Ramazan, creating additional traffic hazards and public inconvenience.
Farhan Aslam said all available resources were being utilised to eliminate the menace from society and urged citizens to refrain from giving alms to professional beggars.
“With public cooperation, this social evil can be eradicated,” he added.