Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi on Sunday directed deputy commissioners to make special arrangements to curb professional beggary during the upcoming festival of Eidul Fitr, a statement from his office said.

A total of 205 professional beggars were arrested across Karachi from March to October last year as the city administration continued its crackdown on organised begging.

According to the statement, issued by the commissioner’s spokesperson Sattar Javed, 220 professional beggars were arrested in the past 22 days and measures are being taken to prevent them from returning.

“Deputy commissioners have been instructed to identify and apprehend potential handlers of beggars,” the statement read.

The statement said that the commissioner took notice of the increasing number of professional beggars in the city and has directed deputy commissioners to effectively curb them in markets, intersections, and shopping centres.

“They have been advised to seek help from social welfare organisations, NGOs, traffic police, and local police,” the statement read.

The commissioner’s office also released details of actions taken against professional beggars, highlighting that 220 beggars have been arrested and handed over to the police since March 1.

In January, the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) constitutional bench ordered Karachi traffic police to take action against beggars at the city’s traffic signals.

According to the court order, dated January 28 and seen by Dawn.com, the petitioner’s main grievance was that “certain transgender persons are begging at traffic lights and other public places and causing nuisance and harassment to [the] public at large”.

The bench ordered the traffic police inspector general (IGP) to “ensure that no begging is allowed in Karachi by any person whatsoever whether they be male, female, children or transgender”.