Punjab orders crackdown on professional begging mafia, Lahore tasked to become beggar-free city

Lahore: The Punjab Home Department has ordered a coordinated crackdown against professional begging networks, with Lahore selected for the first phase of the campaign. The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Home Secretary Dr. Ahmed Javed Qazi and attended by officials from Social Welfare, Police, Safe City Authority, FIA, Traffic Police, Health, Education, Civil Defence, prosecution, and other departments. Safe City and Traffic Police have been assigned to identify organised networks, handlers, repeat offenders, and begging hotspots through technology and human intelligence. Officials said forcing children, women, or elderly persons to beg is a non-bailable offence under the amended Punjab Vagrancy Ordinance. Genuine needy people will be shifted to welfare homes for food, shelter, healthcare, education, and skills training.