Ministry of Interior to strictly monitor and curb the act of begging during Ramadan
Ramadan is a time when people loosen their pursestrings to do good things for fellow human beings. However, it is also a time when thugs and crooks come up with fake stories to beg for money from kind hearted people.
Begging, which is illegal in Qatar, becomes quite rampant during the holy month of Ramadan.
This year, the Anti-begging Section at the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) has prepared a solid plan to fight begging, which becomes rampant during Ramadan, reported The Peninsula.
Captain Abdullah Saad Al Dawsari, Chairman of the Anti-begging Section, said the plan was devised in collaboration with all MoI security departments.
Al Dawsari requested the public to report any cases of begging as Qatari law criminalises it. People who wish to give charity during the holy month should give it to charity organinsations as they are the ones responsible for its collection and distribution.
Regarding the use of non-traditional approaches by beggars, such as the use of social media channels WhatsApp and Instagram, Dawsari said “people should report such accounts and our section will investigate such cases and catch them. Sometimes some accounts owners are outside the country due to which it takes time to catch them.”
The police patrols will work 24 hours to nab beggars. Officials have urged residents to report cases of begging by calling 999 or 33618627.
Al Dawsari pointed out that beggars are exploiting people’s sympathy to cheat them and people have to be careful about it.
The beggars usually choose places like malls, mosques and markets to beg. Sometimes, they visit people and knock at their doors saying they are sick and want to buy medicines.
Agree with Ata ..........................
in a small rich country such as Qatar, no one should be sleeping hungry and the government has always ensured that needy people have plenty of recourse available to turn to; i have been told that even temporarily unemployed people have approached the awqaf fund or other welfare organisations and been helped; islam discourages begging but also encourages charity to those who are in need; i agree with the official stance of going after beggars because they have plenty of options to seek help with dignity and there is no need to put on fake acts at malls/restaurants/drive thrus/mosques etc and embarrass people that are eating in their cars or shopping for groceries with their families or whatever.