Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said that the government will not allow atrocities on the poor segment of the society, adding that government will support them against the powerful, reported 24NewsHDTV Channel.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority, Punjab Chief Minister said her son Junaid was stopped by patrolling police and challaned. When she learnt all the incident CM claimed she contacted patrolling offers and lauded his bravery in a phone call.
She said no one was above the law, adding that it was need of the that culture of rule for powerful has gone and everyone should be equal to law.
She said Punjab government was working day and night against encroachment and permanent monitoring was being made on daily basis. CM Maryam said she has order crackdown on vigo culture. She said the cowards people ca not become part of her team.
Punjab Chief Minister said the newly established Punjab Enforcement Regulatory Authority (PERA) would serve as a 'symbol of terror for the oppressors' and act as the government's primary force to enforce law and price control in the province.
Maryam Nawaz said the authority, which was conceived merely months ago, had now become a functional and well-trained force that would act as the eyes and ears of the government.
“This dream has become a reality in just eight months,” she said, congratulating the authority's Director General, retired Captain Farrukh Atiq, for swift implementation of the project.
The CM said PERA would begin operations next week from the Lahore division and would eventually expand across Punjab with a workforce of around 8,500 personnel.
The job of PERA officials is to be an iron wall before the oppressor and a beacon of hope for the oppressed, she remarked. They will keep a constant eye on illegal occupation, hoarding, encroachments and profiteering. Law will now be seen in action everywhere.”
Referring to the issues of artificial inflation and urban congestion, Ms Nawaz admitted that when she took office, there was no dedicated force to control rising prices.
She criticised the existing price control mechanism, saying it had been outsourced and marred by corruption. “The price control magistrates had hired people who would collect bribes from shopkeepers rather than enforce the law,” she claimed.
She said PERA was created after careful consultation to replace this flawed system with an organised regulatory body. The CM added that several operations had already been carried out across Punjab to eliminate illegal encroachments, which she said had made public spaces safer, particularly for women.
“I have received messages from women saying they no longer face harassment in narrow markets because the streets are now cleared. Traders too are reporting better sales,” she stated.
In a pointed reference to a recent traffic violation involving her son, Junaid Safdar, Ms Nawaz praised the police officer who issued him a challan. “The officer did not know he had stopped the Chief Minister’s son. But Junaid told him: do your duty, issue the challan,” she recounted. “Later, I personally called the officer and congratulated him. Whether it is the CM’s son or anyone else — no one is above the law.”
She added that her administration had cracked down on what she called the “dala culture” and reaffirmed that the law must be applied equally, irrespective of an individual's power or status.
In her address, the Chief Minister expressed confidence in the youth, noting that PERA had been formed with a strong inclusion of young recruits.
CM Maryam also thanked Punjab’s Inspector General of Police, Dr Usman Anwar, for his support, stating that the success of the project would not have been possible without close coordination between departments.
Calling for a shift in outdated mindsets, she said, “The powerful believe that the law is only for the weak. It is time to change that thinking.” The CM revealed that billions of rupees had been spent to bring PERA into existence, positioning it as a cornerstone in the government’s strategy for law enforcement, market regulation, and citizen protection.
She reiterated her commitment to public service, saying that serving the people of Punjab is my duty. It is not enough to make laws — we must ensure they are implemented.