Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has issued strict directives to law-enforcement agencies to maintain maximum alert levels to guarantee peace and security throughout the province. The instructions came during a crucial meeting on law and order that she chaired immediately after returning from her official visit to Brazil.
Major Crackdown on Banned Organizations
During the security briefing, the Chief Minister was informed that terrorist, extremist and hate-based networks in Punjab have been effectively dismantled through coordinated operations. Security forces have achieved significant breakthroughs, including the seizure of advanced weapons, thousands of bullets, bulletproof jackets and various combat equipment from hideouts operated by the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
In a massive financial blow to extremist elements, assets worth Rs 23.4 billion belonging to the prohibited organization have been frozen, along with 92 bank and digital accounts that were being used to fuel unrest. The provincial government has successfully blocked the funding streams that were being utilized to incite violence under the guise of protests, and cases have been officially registered against nine key financiers of the banned group.
Comprehensive Security Strategy
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz emphasized that combing operations must continue without interruption to maintain the current security gains. The meeting concluded with the decision that the provincial government will formally request federal authorities to initiate uniform action across all provinces similar to the successful operations conducted in Punjab against the banned extremist group.
In related developments, authorities informed the Chief Minister that 31 First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered against individuals sharing social media content deemed harmful to national security. This forms part of the broader strategy to combat digital extremism and hate speech.
Religious Institution Registration Progress
The government's initiative to register mosques and prayer leaders across Punjab has shown remarkable progress, with over 61,000 registration forms distributed and more than 50,000 imams already registered, achieving an 82 percent completion rate. Notably, five major Wifaqul Madaris Boards have expressed consensus on the registration initiative, strengthening the partnership between religious leadership and the provincial government in promoting peace.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz specifically directed authorities to ensure respectful and facilitative treatment of prayer leaders, clearly stating that "we do not want them to be burdened or compelled to seek donations." The Punjab government expressed satisfaction that the people have overwhelmingly rejected extremism and hate-mongering, reflecting positive public response to these security measures.
