Tag: beggars

  • Government to block passports of over 2,000 ‘beggars’

    Government to block passports of over 2,000 ‘beggars’

    The federal government has decided to block the passports of more than 2,000 Pakistani beggars operating in foreign countries.

    The Director General (DG) of Immigration and Passports has requested details from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding these beggars. The Ministry will obtain lists of these beggars from its missions worldwide.

    Passports of Pakistanis engaged in begging in foreign countries will be blocked for seven years.

    The government has also decided to block the passports of agents who facilitate the movement of beggars abroad.

    Most beggars travel to Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq for Umrah and pilgrimage purposes.

    Data on individuals travelling abroad for begging purposes has been compiled.

    The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are developing a coordinated policy.

  • Forced begging now non-bailable offence

    Forced begging now non-bailable offence

    The Punjab Home Department has sent amendments to the anti-rape law to the Cabinet for approval.

    According to the spokesman of the Punjab Home Department, under the new law, forced begging has been declared a non-bailable offence.

    The spokesperson said that those who force children, the elderly and women to beg will be severely punished, while the gang leaders of beggar mafias will face 10 years of imprisonment with a fine of 20 lakh rupees. In case of non-payment of fine, three additional years of punishment will have to be served.

    Similarly, apart from forcing children to beg, those you physically harm minors are also in for a tough time.

    The Home Department noted that previously, there was no law to punish the gang leaders of the beggar mafia.

  • Nine beggars offloaded from Umrah flight

    Nine beggars offloaded from Umrah flight

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested nine alleged beggars at Multan International Airport who were all set to travel to Saudi Arabia under the guise of Umrah pilgrims.

    There were six men and three women in the group that was arrested. Authorities were able to figure out their intentions as they were unable to produce evidence of hotel reservations or other legitimate purposes for their visit to Saudi Arabia.

    As they were subjected to scrutiny, the nine people admitted to engaging in begging activities during their stay in Saudi Arabia.

    Subsequently, they were taken into custody by the anti-human trafficking unit for further investigation.

    The operation marks the latest in a series of efforts by the FIA to stop begging rings that exploit individuals seeking to perform Umrah in Makkah. Earlier in October, FIA aimed at blacklisting people who malign the name of the country.

    Previously, a report was submitted to the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis about a shocking percentage of professional beggars who were arrested in the Middle East, 90 per cent of whom are Pakistanis.

  • Four Pakistani beggars went to Saudi Arabia under guise of Umrah

    Four Pakistani beggars went to Saudi Arabia under guise of Umrah

    The Anti-Human Trafficking Circle Lahore of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested four suspects who went to Saudi Arabia to beg under the guise of Umrah.

    Among the four suspects were two women and two men.

    According to the spokesperson of FIA, the accused were offloaded by FIA Immigration at Lahore Airport. They had reportedly gone to Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq several times to beg, and were to be received by Pakistani agents on arrival in Saudi Arabia.

    Half of the money earned through begging was to be given to the agent.

    So far, a case against the accused and the agents has been registered while investigations are underway.

  • Lahore police initiates crackdown against professional beggars

    Lahore police initiates crackdown against professional beggars

    On the orders of Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore, Additional IG Ghulam Mahmood Dogar, special squads of the Lahore Police have started a crackdown against habitual and professional beggars in an effort to free the provincial capital of this annoyance.

    In keeping with its campaign against professional panhandlers, Lahore Police has so far detained 254 panhandlers, comprising 249 men and 5 women, from various parts of the city in cooperation with the Punjab Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (PCPWB) and other relevant agencies.

    While adult addict beggars were admitted to rehabilitation wards of relevant institutions chosen by the government in this regard, Lahore Police turned over the children beggars to the PCPWB.

    In accordance with the “Anti Beggary Act,” Lahore Police have so far this year detained 3,681 professional beggars, comprising 3,518 men and 150 women, and have filed 3,623 cases against them at various police stations throughout the city.

    As a result, during the crackdown, the Model Town division police detained 640 beggars while the City division police arrested 763, the Cantt division 546, the Civil Lines division police 425, the Iqbal Town division 546, and the Sadar division 701 beggars. Beggars who obstruct traffic at intersections and traffic signals have been the subject of separate action by the city traffic police, according to The News.

    According to the CCPO of Lahore, all divisional SsP have been given the unique responsibility of apprehending professional, falsely disabled, and regular beggars because the majority of them have criminal histories yet pose as beggars. Traffic police officers have been working with Lahore police special units to combat organised crime groups and professional begging.

  • Police arrests 106 professional beggars in a crackdown

    Police arrests 106 professional beggars in a crackdown

    In a crackdown against professional beggars, the Rawalpindi Police arrested 106 beggars over the course of three days in an effort to reduce the issue of panhandling and lower the risk of traffic accidents caused by jaywalking.

    According to a police spokesman, the anti-beggary squads carried out raids in various neighborhoods, took action against professional beggars, and detained them in various police stations throughout the city on the orders of Senior Superintendent of Police, Operations Rawalpindi, Waseem Riaz.

    SSP Riaz claimed that specialised anti-begging squads were making a valiant effort to combat the rise in professional beggars.

    “The professional beggars stand on various highways and squares of Rawalpindi city and not only affect the flow of traffic but also increase the risk of accidents. Therefore, the public is requested not to serve alms to them, as discouraging such factors will not only improve the society, but also the flow of traffic,” he said.