By Qasim Ali
LAHORE:Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting of the Provincial Apex Committee to review the overall security situation in the province, here on Wednesday.The meeting expressed gratitude over the success of Operation Ghazab Lil Haq and paid tribute to the Pakistan Army. Rich homage was paid to Colonel Gul Faraz and other martyrs who laid down their lives in defence of the homeland, and Fateha was offered for their departed souls.Participants reviewed law and order across the province and expressed satisfaction over effective coordination among institutions. A briefing was given on preemptive security measures taken by the Punjab government for public safety. Progress on the repatriation of illegally residing Afghan nationals was also reviewed, while the need for joint measures, coordination and cooperation to eliminate terrorism was stressed.
The chief minister said she was proud of Pakistan and its leadership, adding that despite multiple challenges, the country was being blessed with success by Almighty Allah. Referring to recent protests, she said Lahore police handled the situation effectively and reiterated that police remain present to protect peaceful protesters. She noted that iftar was also served to demonstrators. She appreciated Provincial Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique for maintaining contact with religious scholars.She directed that an anti-drone unit be made fully operational in Punjab and said anti-drone cells should also be established at the district level. Expressing gratitude to the Pakistan Army and the Sindh Police for success in the katcha operation, she said no kidnapping-for-ransom case had surfaced in the area for the past three and a half months. She added that a Rs10 billion development package, including Safe City, education and health reforms, was being introduced for the katcha region, where 1,500 personnel would be deployed along with bulletproof vehicles.The chief minister said digital monitoring of anti-social elements was essential and could not be relaxed. She noted that for the first time in Pakistan’s history, a respectable monthly honorarium had been fixed for 74,000 imams of mosques. She observed that full compliance with the ban on unsafe bike practices during Basant demonstrated public respect for the law, and said Lahore was moving towards becoming smog-free without closure of schools and hotels.
She highlighted that under the Ramazan Nigehban Package, 4.2 million families had received Rs10,000 each, while deserving individuals left out were being provided assistance within 24 hours. Affordable commodities were being made available through Ramazan Sahulat Bazaars in every tehsil.The meeting was informed that more than 10,500 illegal Afghan nationalshad been repatriated and that daily combing operations are continuing. The chief minister directed strict implementation of standard operating procedures for the security of Chinese nationals and said no negligence would be tolerated. She added that artificial intelligence-based technology, following the Chinese model, would be introduced for traffic management in Lahore, and that Chinese nationals would now move only under police escort.
