KP CM decides to carry out proper legislation to curb professional begging in the province
Chitral Times Report
PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, while taking notice of the issue of professional beggary in the province has decided to carry out proper legislation to effectively curb professional begging and ensure a safe environment for citizens. In this regard, a letter has been sent from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat to the Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, asking for the preparation and enactment of a new law titled “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Vagrancy (Control and Rehabilitation) Act.” The objective of this legislation is to control the practice of forced begging involving children and disabled persons and to counter exploitation-based criminal activities.
The letter, mentioned for the formation of a multi-departmental committee under the supervision of the Secretary Social Welfare with representation from the concerned departments including Law, Local Government, Police, Child Protection Commission, Bureau of Statistics, the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Peshawar, NGOs, and civil society to oversee the proposed legislation and related matters. It has also been mentioned that the committee must present the draft law and an operational and enforcement framework within thirty days.
The letter further noted the proposed law should clearly categorize child and forced begging, professional beggary, vagrancy, and other related activities. It should also prescribe penalties for the use of children, disabled individuals, and drug addicts in begging, and criminalize the operation, financing or sheltering of begging groups. Moreover, the law should include punishments for professional beggars who obstruct public movement or harass citizens. Designated officers from the police, social welfare, and local government departments will be authorized to apprehend violators and process their cases.
Additionally, it has also been mentioned to establish a WhatsApp hotline for citizen facilitation and reporting of professional beggars. Through this, citizens can report incidents by uploading pictures of persons involved in professional begging or child exploitation. Furthermore, designated traffic points, terminals, markets, and other public places should be declared “No Begging Zones.” The new law will also incorporate provisions for on-the-spot fines and summary trials of offenders. To identify and register repeat offenders, an AI-based facial recognition or biometric mechanism be employed.
The letter states that children found begging will be handed over to the Child Protection and Welfare Commission, while legal action will be proposed under relevant laws against guardians, handlers and groups forcing children into begging. The legislation will also include measures for the rehabilitation of homeless individuals involved in professional beggary. These measures will encompass the provision of shelters, rehabilitation of drug addicts, vocational training, and family tracing.
The system for tracking and verification of individuals involved in professional begging will be linked to NADRA. For monitoring purposes, a Provincial Vagrancy Oversight Committee will be established under the Secretary Social Welfare, while task forces against professional beggary will be formed under the leadership of Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners. The letter also included the geo-tagging and data mapping of beggary hotspots and the installation of CCTV cameras in high-traffic zones for surveillance. It has been added that Commissioners will submit monthly reports regarding beggary control, enforcement, and rehabilitation measures. All these efforts aim to offer a comprehensive and sustainable solution for controlling professional beggary, restoring the dignity of public spaces, and protecting vulnerable individuals from exploitation.
