KARACHI, Feb 8: The City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, reiterated his resolve on Saturday to rid the city of the menace of professional beggars, declaring that the city government’s anti-beggary campaign would continue till the mafia patronizing beggars was severely punished eliminated.

Terming beggary a social ill, he said the city government had decided to create awareness among the people of the menace of professional beggary by apprising them through handbills and banners that by giving alms to professional beggars they not only deprived deserving people, but such an act amounted to a sin.

He was speaking at a news conference at the Nazim secretariat. The newly- appointed district coordination officer, Mir Husain Ali, community development department’s executive district officer, Iqbal Zubaidi, and officials of civil, social welfare and culture departments, besides a host of representatives of of NGOs, which are voluntarily providing manpower to the city government in its anti-beggary campaign, were also present.

Admitting that the anti-beggary campaign of the city government that began in Ramazan had not achieved the desired results due to the non-cooperative attitude of the police, Mr Khan said he had discussed the issue with the city police chief and the DIG Operations and both the officers had assured him of their full cooperation in wiping out the menace of beggary from the city.

Unfolding the details of the campaign, he said allout efforts would be made to expose and punish the professional beggars. The DCO Karachi had been assigned the task of chalking out a rehabilitation plan for those who had been forced by circumstances to beg for alms, he added.

About professional beggars, he said since most of them lived under flyovers and bridges, all the 19 town police officers would be asked to confine their movement so that they were discouraged and forced to give up their undesirable activity.

Arrangements were also being made to ensure that beggars did not throng Eidgahs and commercial centres on Eid-ul-Azha and other festivals, he added.

With regard to beggars’ rehabilitation plan, the City Nazim said the city government had enough money for rehabilitation of beggars. Besides, a Pakistan- Kuwait firm had donated Rs one million and it had pledged another Rs one million for the rehabilitation plan.

With a view to creating awareness of the menace, the city government, in collaboration with all the town administrations, would request teachers and Ulema to distribute handbills and display banners to discourage beggary.

Highlighting the importance of creating awareness of social ills, he expressed the hope that newspapers, Ulema, teachers and others would extend their full cooperation to the city government in eliminating the menace of beggary.