Nearly 700 beggars rounded up in Balkh

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Over the past three months 684 beggars have been rounded up from Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province and districts, most of them are recognized as professional beggars, an official said.

Mohammad Saleh Tariq, head of the Beggars Rounding up Committee, said this committee is made up of representatives from 16 institutions and has collected 684 beggars from the province over a three-month period.

He added that 150 of the beggars collected were deserving, the rest were professionals, and 26 of them, who repeatedly violated the rules of this committee, have been referred to the judicial organs.

Meanwhile, Shamsul Haq Afghani, the head of the Balkh Red Crescent Society's relief team, said that over the past three years, 1,000 beggars have been identified, most of whom are physically and economically capable. According to him, 150 deserving people who really need help are given 2,000 afs to 5,000 afs every month.

Meanwhile, residents of Mazar-e-Sharif have welcomed the government's move.

Abdul Matin, a resident of Mazar-e-Sharif, says that some people who are physically able still beg, even though they can meet their daily needs if they work.

He urged the government to continue this initiative and also pay the monthly salaries to the deserving people on time.

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