PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday directed the police to submit a formal report through a supplementary application in a petition on child begging and drug abuse in Nowshera district.
The case was heard by a bench headed by Chief Justice SM Attique Shah. Additional Advocate General (AAG) Nauman Haq Kakakhel and police officials appeared in the court.The AAG informed the bench that the District Police Officer (DPO), Nowshera, had prepared a report in compliance with the court’s earlier directives, outlining measures taken to curb begging and drug abuse among minors.
However, the court instructed that the report be filed properly through a supplementary petition in accordance with the prescribed procedure. Kakakhel argued that he had personally visited several areas of Nowshera over the past two to three days and observed that child beggars were no longer visible at traffic signals. He said that previously, children could be seen at signals cleaning car windows, selling small items or begging, but police action had significantly reduced their presence.
Counsel for the petitioner argued that minors in Nowshera were being systematically drawn into drug abuse and organised begging networks, and urged the court to direct action against groups allegedly involved in exploiting children for such activities.
