Inspector General of Police Punjab Rao Sardar Ali Khan has said that professional beggar mafia who use children and women for begging do not deserve any concession.
He said that police teams should continue their actions against professional beggars in all districts of the province and full assistance should be extended to other concerned departments in this regard.
He directed to adopt a special strategy against begging mafia in major cities i.e Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan and Gujranwala. In particular, actions against professional drug-addicted beggars who pretend to be unemployed labourers should be taken.
Likewise, actions should be taken in collaboration with teams of the Child Protection Bureau against those who exploit children as a tool of begging so that a bright future may be given to them. He directed that the children who have become tools of the mafia on the main roads of the provincial capital should be handed over to child protection so that their future could be saved from ruin.
Presenting a report on actions against the begging mafia in all districts of the province, Punjab Police Spokesperson said that during the last two months, 7131 cases were registered against professional beggars across the province while 7430 accused were arrested. The spokesperson elaborated operations carried out in each region during the last two months.
In the Lahore region, 4388 cases were registered against the beggar mafia and 4644 professional beggars were arrested.
In the Sheikhupura region, 188 cases were registered and 192 professional beggars were arrested.
In the Gujranwala region, 203 cases were registered and 207 professional beggars were arrested.
In the Rawalpindi region, police registered 279 cases and 284 professional beggars were arrested.
In the Sargodha region, 91 cases were registered and 99 professional beggars were arrested.
In the Faisalabad region, 835 cases were registered against professional beggars and 850 professional beggars were arrested.
Similarly in the Multan region, 286 cases were registered and 288 professional beggars were arrested.
In the Sahiwal region, 361 cases were registered while 361 professional beggars were arrested.
In the DG Khan region, 110 cases were registered and 112 professional beggars were arrested.
In the Bahawalpur region, 390 cases were registered and 392 professional beggars were arrested.
The Spokesperson further said that the citizens should report 15 and support police and other departments in taking steps against professional beggars.