ISLAMABAD: If one goes by the arrangements which Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Friday claimed to have made to control beggary in Islamabad, one must not see beggars storming vehicles at main traffic signals and shoppers in the markets of the city.

Answering a question raised by his party colleague Nighat Parveen Mir, the minister in writing informed the lower house of parliament about the steps which his ministry had taken to keep beggars off the roads in Islamabad.

Led by the Islamabad police, the move has been initiated under Vagrancy Act to keep “the capital city free from this curse,” Chaudhry Nisar explained. He said two anti-beggary squads had been established to apprehend beggars. “Divided in two parts, the city is regularly monitored to check beggars. The patrolling system within the ICT has been revamped and personnel of Falcon and Eagle squads on motorcycles and commandos in vehicles have been deployed who are working in three shifts for surveillance and control of vagrants. Moreover, all the station house officers (SHOs) have been directed to utilise their mobiles as well as staff from Rescue-15 to curb this menace.”

Checkpoints have also been established on various key points which are functioning round-the-clock. Special instructions have been given to all the checkpoints to keep an eye on professional beggars who use small children for beggary. Special deployment of police has also been made in the market areas.

To make it a sustained effort, a monthly security duty programme is also being issued. “The zonal duty SPs and supervisors and duty magistrates have been directed to supervise the campaign,” the minister added.

“One can only hope the interior minister delivers on his promises and stated polices. With these elaborate arrangements in place, there shouldn’t be any beggar left on the roads of Islamabad. But what we see is otherwise,” said a member of the National Assembly belonging to the ruling party who did not want to speak on record.

Published in Dawn January 10th , 2014

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