Karachi's top civic administrator has launched a decisive city-wide campaign targeting the organized network of professional beggars operating at major intersections and markets. Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi has issued strict directives to curb this persistent issue, focusing on both enforcement and social rehabilitation.
Commissioner's Directives: A Two-Pronged Strategy
Taking serious notice of the problem, Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi instructed all relevant officials to implement immediate measures to prevent begging at all busy city spots. His orders went beyond mere arrests, outlining a comprehensive plan. He directed the Deputy Commissioners to not only identify and take legal action against those who support and manage professional beggars but also to actively involve the Department of Social Welfare and non-governmental organizations in the process of rehabilitating those detained.
A statement released on Sunday clarified that the Deputy Commissioners were tasked with ensuring the effective implementation of these rehabilitation measures. This move signals a shift towards addressing the root causes of organized begging, rather than temporary removal.
Swift Action in East and South Districts
Acting promptly on the commissioner's orders, Deputy Commissioner East Nasrullah Abbasi and Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khoso initiated coordinated operations within their respective jurisdictions. They subsequently submitted detailed action reports to the Commissioner's office.
The reports confirmed that on Saturday, extensive drives were conducted across various sub-divisions of both districts with the support of local police. In District East, the operation was led by Assistant Commissioner Gulraz-e-Hajri Irfan Nizamani. Meanwhile, in District South, the crackdown was executed by Assistant Commissioner Civil Lines Ahmed Murtaza and Assistant Commissioner Saddar Rana Sofiyan.
Significant Haul and Rehabilitation Plan
The joint operations yielded significant results. According to the official reports, a total of 84 professional beggars were arrested in a single day. The breakdown shows 37 individuals apprehended from District East and 47 from District South.
In a key step towards rehabilitation, all those arrested in the East district operation were loaded onto buses by Assistant Commissioner Irfan Nizamani and handed over to the Edhi Home. The reports explicitly mention that joint steps will be taken for the proper rehabilitation of these individuals at the Edhi facility, aligning with the commissioner's original vision of combining law enforcement with social support.
This concerted effort by the Karachi commissioner's office highlights a renewed focus on tackling organized begging syndicates while attempting to provide a social safety net for those forced into the practice, aiming for a more sustainable solution to a long-standing urban issue.
