Rawalpindi city police, on the special instructions of the city police officer, (CPO) have launched an operation against professional beggars who are having a roaring business in Ramadan.
Special squads have been formed to deal with the professional beggars. These squads will visit all attractive places, main city bazaars and roads to take strict action against the beggars. It is pertinent to mention here that nowadays, groups of beggars mostly women and children are seen begging in markets, shopping centers, roads and streets of the city.
The shopping malls in the town are also amongst the choicest business locations of these beggars. The beggars are witnessed everywhere particularly in Rawalpindi. Several groups of beggars have occupied main traffic signals mainly on Benazir Bhutto Road (Murree Road) where one can see a lot of children and women thronging vehicles asking for alms.
The beggars are using new techniques to attract the people for their purpose. Professional beggary is becoming a social menace as more and more beggars including physically fit, healthy and young men, women and children are turning towards this profession. Mosques and other religious places are also amongst the most profitable sources for the professional beggars.
A large number of men, women and children beg regularly on roads and streets from dawn to dusk. Mostly, these very professional and expert beggars beg indirectly. They have many heart-wrenching stories to tell. They claim they are not professional beggars, but are forced to beg due to some tragedies. They often manage to soften the hearts of their listeners with their tragic tales told in tear-filled emotional voice.
Though, several drives were launched against professional beggars in the past, but the police and authorities concerned had failed to take a serious and visible action against the professional beggars in the town.
Professional beggar is considered a blemish on the face of a civilized society. It is also an indication of weakness of administration and police to implement the anti-beggary laws.
In Rawalpindi, especially at busy places like Benazir Bhutto Road, Committee Chowk, Mareer Chowk and Sixth Road Chowk commuters and drivers face irritation on red lights as a large number of beggars seek financial support. At Raja Bazaar, Saddar Bazaar, Tench Bhatta and other main shopping centres of the city beggars sometime turn nasty towards the customers. There is also a dire need of extensive community efforts to ensure a successful and result-oriented drive which otherwise would not produce the desired results.