Punjab chief minister demands respectful treatment of citizens, public accountability
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Sunday ordered comprehensive police reforms, demanding an end to corruption, high-handed behaviour, and the disrespectful treatment of citizens, while directing the Inspector General of Punjab Police, Rao Abdul Kareem, to prepare short, medium, and long-term reform plans with clear timelines.
Addressing senior police officials, including IG Kareem, the chief minister said that starting today, all police officers must address citizens respectfully as “Sir” or “Sahib” and maintain professional conduct in all interactions with the public.
“From today onward, whatever has happened in the past is over. If anyone engages in corruption, action will be taken. If anyone takes a bribe, action will be taken. If anyone lies, action will be taken. If anyone fudges figures, action will be taken,” she stated.
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Maryam directed the IG to hold an online meeting with all District Police Officers (DPOs) immediately to issue new instructions, clearly defining the “dos and don’ts” for officers on patrol, at checkpoints, and in police stations.
“No more grabbing someone by the neck and throwing them to the ground,” she said, referencing a recent incident during a cricket team’s arrival. “While providing security, we must also care about the dignity of ordinary citizens.”
Maryam emphasised the need for accountability at all levels, criticising a culture of denial within the police and district administration. “To this day, whether in district administration or police, no one has ever told me, ‘Yes, this was our mistake,'” she said. “Until we stop hiding mistakes, we cannot improve.”
The chief minister highlighted the success of recent traffic law enforcement, noting that over 90% of people now wear helmets, leading to a 70% decrease in head injuries and deaths according to hospital data. “If you enforce the law indiscriminately, people will follow it. The fault lies within us – in implementation and enforcement,” she noted.
Addressing concerns about police staffing, she questioned the efficiency of the force. “There are 700,000 police personnel, yet we are told there is a shortage. 2,000 personnel in CCD once maintained law and order across Punjab – so what are the remaining 698,000 doing?”
Further, the CM approved Rs1.7 billion for duty officers at police stations equipped with panic buttons and recording systems, emphasising that officers must be equipped with body cams so that they know that everything is being recorded and cannot take bribes, act high-handedly, push someone, or abuse them.
She ordered immediate refresher training for front-line officers dealing directly with the public and called for the introduction of community policing, citing Japan’s successful model of involving college and university students.
Women’s safety
On female security, Maryam made it clear that ensuring safety for women across Punjab was a non-negotiable priority. “It must become a code of ethics in Punjab that no woman, whether in a market, a street, on public transport, in a university, college, or workplace, public or private, should feel unsafe,” she stated.
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“If any daughter, mother, sister, or child feels unsafe in Punjab while I am here, it is a failure of all of us,” she added, directing police to take special measures and expand mobile police stations to reach women in rural areas who cannot access regular police stations due to stigma.
Child abuse
The CM demanded strong action against child abuse, whether sexual or physical. “Child abuse, whether sexual or physical, in educational institutions, seminaries, or homes, must be met with such a strong reaction from police and government that no one dares to harm children,” she said, while also calling for parental accountability in cases of negligence.
The CM also emphasised the need to protect children from stray dog attacks and open drains through both enforcement and parental responsibility.
Public accountability
Maryam stated, “My principle of governance is that if praise is public, punishment must also be public. Only then will people trust the system.”
She directed police leadership to publicly identify and remove corrupt officials, saying citizens should see both reward and punishment delivered transparently. “We all answer to God and to the public, whether it is me, the IG Punjab, or any other officer,” she said.
Traffic and road safety reforms
The CM ordered strict enforcement of helmet laws, lane discipline, and school transport regulations. “There is no lane discipline in Punjab. Motorbikes, rickshaws, and buses all drive in the middle,” she noted, directing coordination with transport and district administration to establish proper lane markings, especially in major cities.
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She also called for promotion of pedestrian crossings and education on zebra crossing usage to prevent accidents, pointing to a morning incident where eight children were injured in a school transport accident.
Forensic capabilities
Emphasising proper crime scene handling, Maryam directed that forensic science laboratories be utilised effectively and that the Lahore forensic lab be linked with facilities across Punjab to ensure evidence preservation and prevent tampering.
The chief minister concluded by requesting a video of the police leadership’s reform meeting and expressed hope that “from tomorrow I begin receiving good news from the Punjab Police.”
“We are there to serve the people, not to intimidate them,” she said, adding that only criminals should fear police, while ordinary citizens should feel confident approaching them for help.
