PESHAWAR, Apr 10 (APP): Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has taken notice of the rising issue of professional begging in the province and has decided to introduce formal legislation to curb the practice and ensure a safe environment for citizens.
The Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has received an official directive from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat instructing the preparation of a draft for the “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Vagrancy Control and Rehabilitation Act.”
The primary objective of this law is to prevent forced begging, particularly involving children and disabled individuals, and to curb the criminal exploitation associated with the practice.
Under the CM’s instructions, a multi-departmental committee, led by the Secretary of Social Welfare, will be formed to oversee the legislative process and related matters.
The committee will include representatives from the law, local government, police, child protection commission, statistics department, commissioner and deputy commissioner offices in Peshawar, NGOs, and civil society.
The committee is expected to present the draft legislation along with an operational and enforcement framework within 30 days.
The proposed law will classify different types of begging, including child and forced begging, professional begging, and vagrancy, and will introduce strict penalties for those who exploit children, disabled persons, or drug addicts for begging. Supporting or sheltering organized begging groups will also be criminalized.
The law will include punishments for professional beggars who harass citizens or obstruct public movement.
Designated officers from the police, social welfare, and local government will be given powers to arrest violators and process cases.
To facilitate public reporting, a WhatsApp hotline will be set up, allowing citizens to upload pictures of beggars engaged in forced or organized begging.
Certain high-traffic areas, transport terminals, and commercial hubs will be declared “No-Begging Zones,” and immediate fines and summary trials will be introduced for offenders.
AI-based biometric or facial recognition tools will be used to track habitual offenders, while children engaged in begging will be placed under the care of the Child Protection and Welfare Commission.
Legal action will be recommended against guardians, handlers, and groups forcing children into begging.
The legislation will also include rehabilitation measures for homeless beggars, drug addicts, and exploited individuals, such as the provision of shelters, addiction treatment, vocational training, and family tracing services.
The tracking and verification system for professional beggars will be linked with NADRA.
A Provincial Vagrancy Oversight Committee, under the Secretary of Social Welfare, will be established to monitor implementation, while task forces under commissioners and deputy commissioners will lead enforcement efforts.
Authorities will conduct geo-tagging and data mapping of begging hotspots, and CCTV cameras will be installed in high-traffic areas for surveillance. Commissioners will submit monthly reports on enforcement and rehabilitation efforts.
These measures aimed to eliminate professional begging, restore public spaces’ dignity, and protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation.