Afghanistan cracks down on begging, arrests 34,000

Kabul

Afghan police have arrested over 34,000 beggars in the past year as part of efforts to curb the culture of begging, a senior official from the Ministry of Interior Affairs announced.

Mullah Abdul Haq Akhund Hamkar stated that many of those detained were found to be professional beggars. Authorities have categorized them as "professional," "destitute," or "organized," using biometric data for identification. The genuinely needy have been allocated a monthly allowance, while others face further investigation.

In Kabul alone, nearly 60,000 beggars have reportedly been rounded up. The Taliban’s new anti-begging law includes provisions for detainees who die in custody, with municipal officials responsible for their burial if unclaimed.

Officials in Balkh province have launched a similar campaign, offering verified destitute individuals 2,000 Afghanis per month in assistance. Noor-ul-Huda Abu Idris, Balkh’s deputy governor, emphasized that the initiative aims to differentiate between real and fake beggars.

Despite these efforts, Afghanistan remains in crisis, with over 23 million people—nearly half the population—facing severe food shortages. The government claims the crackdown is part of broader efforts to clean up society, but concerns persist over the treatment of vulnerable individuals.