The Punjab government has decided to tighten the grip against the beggar gangs for the elimination of begging from the province, reported the 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday.
According to the recommendations of the Punjab Cabinet Standing Committee on Legislation and Privatisation, begging has been declared a non-bailable offence.
The beggar mafia will be punished for a maximum of eight years with a fine of up to Rs 500,000.
The Punjab Cabinet's Standing Committee on Legislation and Privatisation has approved amendments to the Vagrancy Ordinance 1958.
In this regard, recommendations for amendments to the Vagrancy Ordinance have been sent to the Punjab Cabinet.
On the recommendation of the Home Department, the Standing Committee on Legislation and Privatisation sent recommendations for amendments to the Punjab Cabinet.
Under the recommendations, the leader of the beggar gang can be jailed for a minimum of three years and a maximum of eight years.
With the purpose of begging, damaging the human body parts of any child or adult will be punishable by up to 10 years, and a beggar gang leader can be fined up to Rs 2 million, while failure to pay the fine will be punishable by two more years.
Hiring a beggar can be punished for up to three years, and the leader of a beggar gang who has more than one beggar can be punished for five to seven years.
Reporter: Rao Dilshad Hussain