1,269 'professional beggars' arrested in Rawalpindi, 60% 'healthy and fit'

• 60% beggars caught from city roads were healthy and fit, says police official
• Beggars brought from Punjab, KP, and other areas operate in Rawalpindi through contracts, he says 
• He says hundreds of beggar children netted from city roads handed over to Child Protection Bureau

RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi's traffic police has accelerated the on-going campaign against professional beggars, arresting 1,269 from the city's roads during February.

The Incharge Anti-Begging Squad City Traffic Police (CTP), speaking to APP, urged the citizens to play their role in discouraging professional beggars.

The CTP has lodged a large number of first information reports (FIRs) in different police stations against beggars caught from different areas, he said.

Read more: Karachi beggars suspected to be using abducted children

The police officer said they had been trying to eliminate begging from the city roads and many professional beggars had been caught and sent behind bars.

The squad's chief noted that out of the total beggars caught, nearly 80% were professionals.

"60% beggars caught from city roads were healthy and fit while only 20% were disabled persons and 20% were drug addicts," he informed.

A large number of beggars are brought to Rawalpindi from Southern Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and other far-flung areas of the country, who operate through contractors, he said.

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Hundreds of beggar children netted from the city roads were handed over to Child Protection Bureau (CPB), the police officer added.