LAHORE, June 20: The city police are launching a special campaign from Thursday (today) against professional beggars. They will arrest the beggars and register cases against them.

This was decided at a meeting, presided over by the Punjab IGP Ahmed Nasim, on Wednesday. The capital city police officer will supervise the campaign.

The meeting was informed that a station house officer would take action against the beggars in his respective jurisdiction and register cases against healthy male and female beggars under sections 9 and 10 of the Punjab Beggary Ordinance 1958.

The meeting was of the view that organised gangs of criminals could exist under the garb of professional beggars. The beggars under 15 years of age would be handed over to the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau.

The police will take action against the beggars involved in forcing children into begging under section 34 of the Destitute Children Act 2004.

The officials decided that old and deserving beggars would be handed over to the Edhi Welfare Centres in Gulberg and Township with registration of cases.

The meeting was informed that professional beggars and those old and deserving would be admitted to welfare homes which would be set up by the Punjab Social Welfare Department under the beggary ordinance.