Sindh High Court Orders Crackdown on Begging in Karachi
Karachi: Troubled by the persistent issue of beggary in public spaces, Karachiites may finally find relief as the Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the traffic police to take strict measures against begging in the metropolitan city.
“[The] Inspector General Traffic is directed to ensure that no begging is allowed in Karachi by any person,” read the SHC order in response to a petition seeking action against harassment and nuisance caused by individuals, including transgender persons, engaged in begging at traffic signals and other public areas.
The petition, which named the Karachi commissioner, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) chairman, Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP), and Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) CEO, sought strict enforcement against “begging by transgenders at traffic lights and other public places under Section 17 of the Transgender Act and under Section 118(1)(a)(iv) of the Cantonment Act.”
It further called for action against the “harassment of women and children” to uphold their “Fundamental Right to Protection” under Article 25 of the Constitution and Section 237 of the Cantonment Act.
The court’s directive, however, is not limited to transgender individuals; it prohibits begging by all individuals, regardless of gender or age.
The move comes as Karachi residents continue to face persistent encounters with beggars at traffic signals, parks, and other public spaces. This is not the first time authorities have attempted to tackle the issue. In May 2024, Additional Sessions Judge (West) Sohail Ahmed Mashori instructed the Karachi additional inspector general of police (AIG) to reactivate the anti-beggary cell and take “immediate and effective” action against professional beggars, including their arrest and legal prosecution under relevant laws.
