Agitation won’t escape grip of law, declares CM Maryam

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said no sedition will be allowed to flourish and state will take account of its martyrs, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Addressing a ceremony for distribution of honorary cards among ulema and masjid imams (clerics and prayer leaders), Maryam Nawaz said some people spread sedition in the name of religion and took the state hostage in the name of protest. Sedition, no matter what form it takes, will not escape the grip of the law, Maryam Nawaz said.

Maryam Nawaz said it is the responsibility of ulema to stop religious hatred and suppress sedition.

She said several times; strict measures had to be taken against those who spread religious hatred. 

Maryan Nawaz said ulema and imams have a unique place in society and are respectable to us.

جس طرح آپ لوگ اذان کے ذریعے لوگوں کو نماز کی طرف بلاتے ہیں اور قرآن کی تعلیم کی طرف راغب کرتے ہیں، اسی طرح آپ کی ذمہ داری ہے کہ ہر شخص کو یہ باور کرائیں کہ ملک اور قوم کی خدمت صرف حکومت کا کام نہیں، بلکہ ہر پاکستانی کی ذمہ داری ہے۔

وزیراعلی پنجاب مریم نواز شریف pic.twitter.com/2vhrV2NMwR

— PMLN (@pmln_org) January 8, 2026

There are about 80,000 mosques of all faiths in Punjab and applications have been received from imams of 70,000 mosques, Maryam Nawaz said.

She said from February, an amount of Rs25,000 will be transferred through bank accounts and money can be withdrawn through Bank of Punjab ATMs. 

Maryam Nawaz said earlier, imams of mosques receive a monthly honorarium of 5 to 10 thousand by collecting donations.

She said accounts of 70,000 imams of mosques have been opened.

وزیراعلی مریم نواز شریف آئمہ کرام کے لئے وزیراعلی اعزازیہ کارڈ لانچنگ تقریب سے خطاب کررہی ہیں https://t.co/Y56542IfMJ

— PMLN (@pmln_org) January 8, 2026

Reporter Rao Dilshad Hussain