The Punjab Home Department has formed a high-level committee, led by Social Welfare Secretary Javed Akhtar Mehmood, to initiate a province-wide crackdown on professional beggars and organized begging networks, media reports said on Saturday.
Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) Special Branch, Managing Director (MD) Safe City, and City Traffic Officer (CTO) will be members of the council.
Social Welfare Director-General, additional home secretary, additional secretary prosecution, DG Child Protection Bureau, and Director-General Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will also be part of the Committee.
The first meeting of the Committee will be held on August 4, 2025, in Lahore. The Committee will submit its final proposals to curb begging across the provinces in fifteen days.
In March 2025, the Punjab Assembly approved the Punjab Begging (Amendment) Bill 2025 by a majority vote, sending it to the Punjab Governor for final approval. Once signed, the amendments will become law.
Under the bill, begging is now classified as a non-bailable offense in Punjab. Ringleaders who exploit a single person for begging will face up to three years in prison, a fine of Rs 300,000, or both. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional six months of imprisonment.
Those involved in organized begging from multiple individuals will face three to five years in prison and fines of up to Rs 500,000.
The Punjab government introduced these amendments to crack down on professional beggars and mafia networks.
The provincial cabinet has already approved changes to the Anti-Begging Act, with the Special Committee on Home Affairs reviewing the revisions to the Punjab Vagrancy Ordinance.
