Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has instructed police leadership to keep corrupt officers from being posted as station house officers, part of a broader push to address police corruption across the province. The move came alongside orders for firm disciplinary action against any officials found involved in corrupt practices.
The directives were issued during a law and order meeting chaired by the chief minister, where the Punjab inspector general of police presented a detailed briefing on the province’s crime trends. The briefing pointed to a marked improvement across several major crime categories.
One-Week Deadline to Remove Corrupt Officials
As part of the Maryam Nawaz police corruption drive, the chief minister gave the IG just one week to identify corrupt personnel within the force and take them off duty. She also asked for a detailed strategy to tackle crimes against women and children, insisting that offenders in such cases be met with zero tolerance.
During the session, officials approved bringing Dolphin Police units under the operational control of their respective local police stations. Authorities also set a September 30 deadline to roll out body cameras for Punjab Police personnel, while prisoner transport vans are to be equipped with GPS tracking systems and onboard cameras.
The chief minister further ordered strict accountability measures in cases where prisoners have escaped custody, and directed police to step up operations against burglary incidents. She also called for a focused cleanup campaign to root out criminal activity in Sheikhupura specifically.
Crime Figures Show Notable Decline
The IG’s briefing showed robbery cases dropped by 54 percent province-wide, alongside a 35 percent fall in murders, a 46 percent decrease in car robberies and a 53 percent decline in motorcycle theft across Punjab.
Lahore recorded similarly strong improvements, with murders down 43 percent, robberies down 32 percent, car theft down 43 percent, and motorcycle theft falling by 54 percent.
CM Maryam said district police chiefs would be held directly accountable in areas where crime figures remain elevated, reaffirming that safeguarding women and children continues to be one of her administration’s top priorities under the wider police corruption crackdown.
