Last week, the capital police launched a crackdown on professional beggars as part of security measures for the month of Muharram.

According to intelligence reports, militants have entered the capital disguised as beggars and are collecting information about Muharram majalis and processions and plan to target them.

A senior police officer told Dawn that for the last few weeks an unusual increase in the number of beggars had been witnessed in the city’s streets.

He explained that normally, they come to the city on the occasion of Eidul Fitr in the hope of collecting Zakat and Fitrana. But their presence in the city at this time of the year appeared very strange, so the police have started action against them and constituted a squad called Mujahid, to deal with them.

“Help has also been sought from the Islamabad Traffic Police,” he said.

“The personnel of Mujahid are deployed at signals, shopping centres, markets and worship places to keep an eye on the beggars,” he said.

Those who are arrested are produced in the court of law where they are fined and then released. The beggars below the age of 12 are sent to the shelter home or Children Protection Centre and women to Edhi Home.

The police officer said action against their operators was also planned. Begging is banned under Beggary Act, but it comes into force only on religious festivals. Like bootlegging, narcotics peddling and sex trade, beggary is also an organised crime. Despite several crackdowns on beggars, bootleggers, drug peddlers and sex workers, they continue their activities with impunity as the police do not bring their operators to the book.

The crackdowns, instead of curbing these crimes only fill lockups. Upon being released on bail they go back to their activities.

Other police officers said beggary was an organised profession being run by separate groups, including criminal gangs. They said the data collected from beggars revealed that the groups brought them to the capital from their native towns for begging.

They said operators buy them from their parents by offering them handsome amount, adding that they then train them in begging techniques.

The police officers explained that their dens are in Islamabad, Tarnol, Golra, Bhara Kaku and Sihala. The beggars are dropped at different signals, markets in the morning by their ‘handlers’, working for the operators, and are picked up by them after sunset.

“They (handlers) not only pick and drop them but also keep an eye on them, especially on women and children,” they said.

The Mujahid Squad is constituted only during religious occasions and then disbanded. As a result the illegal practice continues in the city.

They said beggars were considered a security risk as they observed and provided information to criminals and militants.

“They also steal valuables from vehicles, shops and markets,” they added.

Besides, they are also ‘handy transporters’ of weapons and explosives for the militants, they added.

They also keep an eye on police movements and patrolling in the area and share information with terrorists. Under such circumstances there is a need to take action against them before Ashura.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2014