The Department of Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal (SW&BM) Punjab in collaboration with the provincial police department has constituted an 'anti-beggary squad' to keep the provincial capital clean from begging mafia during the holy month of Ramazan. The anti-beggary squad was rendered dysfunctional after the revival of the commissionarate system in Punjab but now it has been reconstituted / revived, Business Recorder was privy of the information by official sources.
The sources told that a meeting between the department of SW&BM and the provincial police was recently held to discuss the matters relating the revival of this squad and devising a comprehensive strategy against the begging mafia. Rubina Shahzadi, head of the "Beggars' Home", said they had held the meeting with the police department for taking legal action against the beggars as a number of people complained about their presence in the city, especially during The Ramadan.
She told that the police department has nominated Bashir Subhani as a focal person of police department who will be providing assistance for conducting raids against the beggars. Under the Punjab Vagrancy Ordinance 1958, she said, they have no mandate to arrest the beggars and rehabilitate them in the Beggars' Home. She said the role of police is very essential for taking legal action against such people under the said ordinance.
When asked about their line of action against the begging mafia, Rubina said the department is preparing its strategy which will be submitted by 18th of May. The meeting also decided domains of both the departments, she added. "Now any police officer, without an order from a magistrate or a warrant, may arrest and search any person who appears to be a beggar and may seize anything found on or about such person that he believes is be liable to confiscation under our strategy," she claimed.
According to the law and procedures of the courts, she said the accused will first be presented before a magistrate. If he finds the accused guilty, he/she will be transferred to the Beggars' Home. It is worth mentioning here that a large number of beggars are seen in the city, especially outside every commercial market, shopping mall, plaza and traffic signal to earn money in the name of alms and charity.
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