The Commissioner of Karachi has ordered the immediate arrest of professional beggars from intersections and markets before the Eid al-Fitr rush, and these individuals will be handed over to welfare organizations for rehabilitation.
This directive was given in a meeting chaired by Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi today, which focused on addressing traffic jams, parking issues, and the influx of professional beggars. The Commissioner emphasized special attention on districts East, South, and Central for the operation against begging.
It was decided in the meeting that arrested individuals would be handed over to the custody of Saylani Welfare Trust and JDC. The administration is also considering a long-term program with comprehensive planning for the rehabilitation of beggars.
To ensure the implementation of the orders, Deputy Commissioners will now have to submit daily performance reports on actions taken against professional beggars to the Commissioner’s Office.
The meeting also discussed dealing with the expected traffic rush before Eid. It was decided that special measures would be taken in collaboration with the traffic police to improve traffic flow and establish adequate parking facilities in all busy commercial areas.
Multi-departmental teams will be formed to implement this plan, led by Deputy Commissioners and supervised by Assistant Commissioners. These teams will include personnel from the KMC, town administration, traffic police, and local police.
Furthermore, camps will be set up in densely populated markets in collaboration with the police to guide shoppers and promptly address any complaints.
The ongoing campaign against illegal profiteering during Ramadan was also reviewed in the meeting. Assistant Commissioner Headquarters, Rabia Syed, presented the performance report for the period from February 19 to March 15.
The report stated that action was taken against 4,849 profiteers, resulting in fines totaling Rs. 38,383,649. During this three-week period, 97 shops were sealed and 91 profiteers were arrested, while authorities also auctioned goods at official prices at 4,688 different locations.