74 beggars, 18 shopkeepers arrested in ICT

Islamabad:The district administration of Islamabad has ramped up its efforts to address growing concerns over illegal activities in the Federal Capital, leading to the arrest of 74 beggars and 18 shopkeepers in separate operations.

The spokesman of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration said that this action was part of a larger initiative to maintain public order and enforce price regulations. Islamabad’s district administration continues its aggressive campaign against the alms-seekers in the city and arrested 74 professional beggars over the past 48 hours.

All the assistant commissioners (ACs) were actively involved in the crackdown. The AC (Saddar), Maheen Hassan accompanied by the district administration teams have arrested 38 beggars from sectors G-10 and G-11, and F-11 area while the AC Rural, Kamran detained 21 beggars in the Sihala police station area.

Additionally, the AC (Industrial Area), Farwa Batool apprehended 15 beggars and transferred them to Margalla police station. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon emphasized the need for increased surveillance and quick responses to any information regarding professional beggars.

He instructed the administration to take immediate action when reports are received. Meanwhile, in a parallel operation, the district administration also took action against shopkeepers who were not adhering to the official price list.

Eighteen shopkeepers were arrested for overcharging customers during market inspections. Assistant Commissioner (City) Farhan Ahmad has arrested eight shopkeepers, while Assistant Commissioner Saddar detained another eight in separate operations.

The AC (Industrial Area) arrested two shopkeepers and imposed a fine on one for violating the price regulations. These operations were carried out in the city’s Sunday markets, where price gouging had become a common issue.

The deputy commissioner urged citizens to follow the official price list when making purchases and report any violations. DC (Islamabad) assured that price control magistrates are present in markets to monitor compliance at all times.

However, the district administration has called on the public to cooperate with these efforts and report any further violations as it continues to tighten control on illegal activities across the capital.