Anti-beggary campaign launched

RIYADH — Minister of Labor and Social Development Mufrej Al-Haqbani has launched an awareness campaign to enlighten people against the hazards of begging. The campaign, targeting citizens and expatriates of various age groups, will start with a million text messages to be sent on mobile phone sets, Arabic press reported. It is aimed at highlighting the negative aspects of begging and cautioning people against showing sympathy toward the beggars. Ministry's undersecretary for social affairs Naif Al-Sobhi said the campaign is aimed at increasing awareness of citizens and expatriates to deal with begging as a negative phenomenon. He said the million messages will start with highlighting the negative social aspect of begging and will gradually go up to suggest the channels that can receive alms such as the welfare societies and other charitable organizations to which people can give money. The ministry and the police organize regular campaigns to curb begging which usually increases  during Ramadan and Haj months. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance has asked mosque imams to prevent begging in the mosques. When caught red-handed, the ministry will study the conditions of the Saudi beggars so as to assist them and will turn over foreign beggars to the Jawazat (Passports Department) for deportation.