Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Abdul Rahim Shirazi has ordered a renewed citywide crackdown on professional begging, directing all divisional SPs, circle officers, and field teams to ensure that no beggars remain at traffic signals across the city.
According to the CTO, children, elderly individuals, women, transgender persons, or anyone using disability as a pretext for begging should not be seen at traffic intersections. Safe City traffic monitoring teams have also been instructed to provide real-time updates to field staff to ensure swift and effective enforcement.
Special operational teams have been formed for the campaign, while large buses have been arranged to transport detained individuals. Shirazi said the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) is assisting authorities in verifying the identities of those detained, and FIRs are being registered against habitual and organized beggars.
The CTO added that strict action will also be taken against individuals who tamper with traffic signals during nighttime to facilitate begging activities.
Over the past two months, Lahore Traffic Police has taken action against 1,855 beggars, including 710 women, 742 men, 209 children, and 204 transgender persons. With the assistance of Lahore Police, 220 criminal cases have been registered against habitual beggars and individuals allegedly pretending to have disabilities for professional begging.
Authorities also transferred 1,439 detained beggars to Social Beggars Homes and Edhi Homes, while children were handed over to the Child Protection Bureau.
The CTO urged citizens not to encourage professional begging and advised them to donate through reputable charitable organizations so that assistance reaches genuinely deserving people.
