Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said begging as a well-organized profession in Pakistan, claiming it now provides more “employment” than any other sector in the country.
Speaking to the media, Khawaja Asif said contractors are now employed to recruit children, women, and fake disabled persons for begging, earning millions of rupees in the process.
He added that the same contractor mafia sends thousands of beggars to Gulf countries, prompting some of these nations to suspend visas for Pakistani citizens.
The minister alleged that staff at various airport departments are complicit in this “disgusting business,” turning it into a profitable venture. He said most of the operators in Sialkot come from southern Punjab and stay in local hotels while conducting their operations.
Khawaja Asif said recent actions by the administration and police have reduced the scale of this business, but beggars are still visible on the streets.
He further claimed that seemingly affluent individuals in Sialkot are the main contractors behind the beggars, and whenever authorities conduct crackdowns, these contractors intervene through influential connections.
The defence minister said the business of begging now provides the most “employment” in the country and cannot operate without the support of local administration and police. He warned that this industry is linked with many other “extremely nefarious” activities.
