The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has introduced the Vagrancy Act 2026 aimed at eliminating begging across the province.
The assembly session, chaired by Speaker Idrees Khattak, began with a two-hour delay, during which the key bill was presented. Provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam tabled the proposed legislation in the house.
According to the bill, the law will be लागू across the entire province, with strict action planned against professional beggars.
Under the proposed law, a provincial steering committee will be established to oversee efforts to curb begging. The committee will also have the authority to recommend the blocking of identity cards and passports.
The bill proposes a warning or up to one month’s imprisonment for a first offence of begging, and up to one year in prison for repeat offences. Fraudulent begging could lead to a two-year sentence, while organised groups may face up to three years in prison.
Those forcing children into begging could be fined up to Rs400,000. The law would grant police and social welfare authorities the power to make arrests without a warrant, with detainees required to be presented before a special magistrate within 24 hours.
Courts would also have the option to send offenders to rehabilitation centres instead of prison. These centres would provide vocational training and psychological support. The bill also proposes the establishment of a Vagrancy Control Fund, financed through fines and donations.
According to the draft law, children will be handed over to child protection units, while non-local beggars will be repatriated.
Additionally, biometric systems and modern technology will be used to monitor beggars, and begging in public places will be formally declared a criminal offence.
Officials stated that the steering committee will review the implementation of the law every three months to ensure effective enforcement and progress in eliminating begging.
