Beggars throng Islamabad markets ahead of Eid

Islamabad, Oct 22 (UNI) Just days ahead of Eid a large of beggars have landed in markets here, making the life of the people and tourists miserable.

These beggars chase people and pester them, demanding alms from them, The Daily Times reported, claiming the authorities concerned are lenient on beggars, which include children, girls carrying naked babies, pregnant women and disabled people, and have failed to control them.

Professional beggars prefer to chase foreigners, who visit the markets, and demand alms from them in foreign currency.

There are incidents when the beggars have resorted to stealing from the market-goers despite the markets in presence of police during rush hours.

A beggar told Daily Times that he made Rs 1,000 to 1,300 a day, which is far more than what an unskilled labourer can earn in a day.

The Islamabad district administration said that special ''anti-begging'' teams, consisting of assistant commissioners and magistrates, had been formed.

The officials of the district administration and the city police are working together to nab the professional beggars and trace out their networks.

Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Chaudhry Muhammad Ali said that the campaign against beggars would be successful and criminal cases would be filed against 'professional' beggars.

Police officials said that over 15 beggars, who were involved in robberies, had been arrested and 276 professional beggars had been shifted to prisons over the last three weeks.

The police have arrested some 200 beggars over the past few months.

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