ISLAMABAD: The capital police have arrested 588 professional beggars and registered cases against them in the current year as a crackdown against organised beggars’ mafia continued.
The identification process of the facilitators of beggars is ongoing with the help of Safe City cameras and human intelligence sources, said the police in a statement.
“Under the special directions of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad, Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, Islamabad Police have continued comprehensive operations against professional beggars and their facilitators in the federal capital. Acting on these instructions, legal action is being taken against professional beggars who harass citizens at roads, intersections, markets, and commercial areas.”
The police said that the facilitators and contractors who provided transportation and logistical support to beggars are being identified through Safe City surveillance cameras and human intelligence. During the ongoing year, police teams arrested 588 professional beggars and registered cases against them under the Beggary Act.
Additionally, legal action is being taken against parents whose children were found being used as beggars by criminal elements. Many criminals disguised as beggars have also been found involved in street crimes in different areas, added the police.
All police officers have been directed to further intensify and make these operations more effective. Citizens are requested to discourage professional beggars and immediately report any such activity to the police emergency helpline “Pukar-15.”
Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2026.
