The Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CPWB) has smashed an organised gang using children of backward areas for begging purposes. A rescue operation team of CPWB took two children Muhammad Ahmad and Muhammad Asif of Satiayna, district Bahawalnagar into its safe custody. They were found begging at the general bus stand.
The children disclosed that Muhammad Saleem is the ringleader of this begging cartel, which is working in well-organised manner in various cities of the province.
The modus operandi of Saleem is that he took children on the pretext to provide them jobs in city and then these children are used as forced beggars. The children are kept in a hotel or safe custody where they are also used for other unwanted activities. The ringleader snatch the entire amount collected by children and in return sends only Rs 3,000 per child to their parents every month. He is operating in various cities where, he has also appointed bullies to supervise the children.
The rescue operation team has also handed over two accused Abdus Sattar and Muhammad Naeem to police for further legal action. According to the team, Rs 1,542 currency notes and coins of Rs 1,102 have also been recovered from the children. On the other hand, two cycles, two tape recorders, two speakers, two batteries, and one mobile phone have also been recovered from the gangsters. A case has also been registered against Sattar, Naeem and their ringleader Saleem under Child Protection Act-2004.