Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi told the Senate on Tuesday that in the year, 2025 and in the first month of 2026, 4,274 professional beggars were arrested and 345 FIRs were registered against such individuals, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Presenting a report in the House, the minister said that those taken into custody had been shifted to judicial lockup and shelter homes.
34 FIRs were registered during the last two years against students of Islamabad’s educational institutions for possessing drugs. “However, of total 84 persons nominated in these cases, only 34 were arrested,” he informed.
Giving further details, Naqvi said that 3,538 grams of ice, 16,810 grams of chars, 5,457 grams of heroin and 139 liters of liquor was confiscated during the period under review.
It was disclosed to the House that out of a total of 11 airports in Balochistan, only three were functional, while the remaining were not operational due to one reason or the other.
The revelation was made in a report submitted to the House by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.
The minister told the Senate that Quetta International Airport, Gwadar airport and Turbat International Airport were presently functional, while Dalbandin Airport was closed since there was no runway there, and the one at Sibbi was not operational due to the absence of flight operation. “Airports at Zhob, Pasni, Panjgur and Khuzdar are also closed since there is no flight operation there,” Asif elaborated.
Speaking on the occasion, Senator Ali Zafar said that Lahore to Islamabad flight, which was operated in the morning, had been non-operational for the last seven to eight years.
He said that the flight was quite useful not only for bureaucrats, but also for lawyers.
Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani said he also supported the resumption of the flight.
The speaker said similarly there were no flights between Multan to Karachi and Karachi to Multan. “There is no flight operation between Multan and Islamabad as well,” he said, and added he was looking into the issue.
Reporter: Waqas Azeem