PESHAWAR
The district administration in a major operation against the professional beggars and their handlers arrested six contractors and initiated raids to apprehend 18 more.
According to a press statement issued by the Commissioner Office, the operation has been led by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Peshawar Sarmad Saleem Akram, has resulted in the detention of over 300 beggars, the majority of whom were women and children.
The arrested beggars revealed that high-earning locations in Peshawar, such as Peshawar Club Chowk and Peer Zakuri Pul Chowk in the Sadar area, were controlled by contractors. Each beggar is reportedly required to pay up to 12,000 rupees to these contractors, often working under duress.
Additionally, other busy areas including University Road, Phase 3 Chowk, Ghari Qamar Deen Bridge, Dabgari Garden, Chowk Yadgar, Peepal Mandi, Indershahr Bazaar, Qissa Khawani, Khyber Bazaar, Shuba Bazaar, Peshawar Sadar Bazaar, and Karkhano Market have been identified as major centers for collecting heavy alms on a daily basis.
It has been revealed that professional pickpockets were transported to these high-earning locations by contractors in vehicles and were taken back to their residences in the evening.
Authorities have assured that all possible facilities will be provided to those arrested during the operation.
