PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly has recently introduced a comprehensive bill aimed at cracking down on begging, proposing strict penalties for those engaged in organized begging activities across the province.
The new legislation, titled the Vagrancy Act 2026, will be enforced throughout KP, granting authorities expanded powers to target organized begging networks. The bill also proposes the formation of a provincial steering committee responsible for overseeing implementation and policy enforcement.
According to the draft law, the committee will have the authority to seize and block national identity cards and passports of repeat offenders. First-time offenders could face up to one month in jail, while persistent offenders might be sentenced to up to one year imprisonment.
The legislation introduces harsher punishments for fraudulent begging, with penalties extending up to two years in prison. Those operating organized begging rings could face up to three years behind bars. Additionally, individuals coercing children into begging may be fined as much as Rs400,000.
The bill empowers police and social welfare officers to arrest professional beggars without a warrant. Arrested individuals are required to be presented before a magistrate within 24 hours. Courts will also have the discretion to send offenders to rehabilitation centers equipped with vocational training and psychological counseling aimed at social reintegration.
Children caught begging will be transferred to child protection agencies under the new legislation. The law also plans to implement biometric tracking and advanced monitoring systems for continuous oversight of beggars.
Public begging will be declared an offense punishable by law, and those facilitating or enabling begging will also face legal consequences. The provincial steering committee will evaluate the progress of law enforcement and enforcement efforts every three months to ensure effective implementation.
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