LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said that she is accountable to 130 million people, and therefore the police must bring down and control the crimes.
A special meeting was held, with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif in the chair, to review the law and order situation across the province on Saturday.
The IG of Punjab briefed on the overall law and order situation and the police performance.
CM Maryam said, “There will be no tolerance for no-go areas anywhere in Punjab. I am accountable to 130 million people; the police must control crime. We cannot close our eyes to the facts. No-go areas will not be tolerated anywhere in Punjab. The crime rate must be brought down at all costs. When crimes are high, people forget about the government’s reforms and development,”.
She mentioned that while the police are making sacrifices, there are also black sheep among them.
Punjab CM Maryam said, “I am with the police, standing behind the force. I wore the uniform in solidarity. We are providing all resources to the police to ensure there is no decrease in performance,”.
The Chief Minister stated that a system for performance evaluation and assessment is being introduced to eliminate corruption in the police.
Fourteen special checkpoints are being established to stop inter-provincial smuggling.
The CM said, “We are fulfilling every demand of the police, including vehicles, equipment, weapons and training.”
She said it is their responsibility to ensure the safety of every police officer standing at the checkpoints. “Effective action will be taken to curb electricity theft across the province on the DG Khan model. Ending electricity theft will also end load-shedding.”
Maryam Nawaz commended the IG, RPO Sargodha and DPO for rescuing and safely extracting ten people from a mob.
She noted that the over 50% reduction in robbery incidents in Lahore is a positive sign.
“It is not just unfortunate but shameful when laborers, who are taking their salary home, get robbed.”
She added that a deadline has been given to the RPO Sheikhupura to control the robbery incidents.
The CM directed that the continuous action should be taken to curb drugs, and effective measures should be implemented to prevent incidents of aerial firing.
Maryam Nawaz said, “We have ended political interference in police matters,” she said.
She also said, “It is highly regrettable for a road to be blocked in the presence of a traffic warden. The motorcyclists should be made to adhere to lane discipline.
With political interference in the police affairs now ended, the police should perform. The DPOs should rid their districts of corrupt officials and criminals,”.
During the meeting, there was also an agreement on the proposal to establish “beggar barracks” in Punjab’s jails.
Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Inspector General of Police Dr. Usman Anwar, Additional Inspector General Special Branch, DIG Operations, CCPO and other officials attended the meeting.
All RPOs, CPOs and DPOs participated in the meeting via video link.
