Punjab Assembly passes Begging (Amendment) Bill
Pakistan
Punjab Assembly passes Begging (Amendment) Bill
LAHORE (Dunya News) - The Punjab Assembly has approved the Punjab Begging (Amendment) Bill 2025 with a majority vote.
The said bill would be sent to the Punjab Governor for approval. After his approval, the amendments would become part of the draft law.
According to the bill, begging has been declared a non-bailable offense in Punjab.
According to the bill, the ringleader who begs from a single person will be sentenced to 3 years in prison with a fine of Rs 300,000 or both. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional 6 months in prison. Those who beg from more than one person will be sentenced to 3 to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to Rs 500,000 or both.
The Punjab government has proposed amendments to the law to punish professional beggars and mafia chiefs. The provincial cabinet has already approved the amendments to the Anti-Begging Act.
The increase in penalties and fines would discourage the beggar mafia. The Punjab Assembly’s Special Committee on Home Affairs reviewed the amendments to the Punjab Vagrancy Ordinance.
