Maryam Nawaz has set a three-month deadline to implement comprehensive police reforms across Punjab approving a series of major decisions aimed at improving efficiency, transparency, and public friendly policing.
Presiding over a high level meeting the Chief Minister directed authorities to prepare short medium and long-term plans to modernize the police system and ensure respectful public dealings.
It was decided that 14,000 body cameras and 700 panic buttons will be installed across the province with at least 10 police officials at each police station being equipped with body cameras. Funds for the procurement of body cameras have also been approved.
Panic buttons will be installed outside police stations to enable immediate redressal of public complaints. The government has further decided to introduce audio and video recording of investigations, an online FIR tracking system and online registration of FIRs related to lost documents and identity cards. To eliminate delays police will be allowed to ask only five questions while registering an FIR.
Maryam Nawaz instructed that every citizen must be addressed respectfully as “Sir,” and no police official will be allowed to speak without using respectful titles. She emphasized resolving minor complaints within two to three hours, ensuring an 80-minute response time and maintaining courteous behavior with complainants.
During the briefing it was shared that overall crime in Punjab has decreased by 48 percent and major crimes have dropped by up to 80 percent. In cities such as Sahiwal and Gujrat calls related to major crimes are reportedly negligible.
A decline in property disputes has also contributed to the reduction in crime. Officials informed the meeting that approximately 16.8 million people visit police stations annually with 68 percent seeking services from police facilitation centers.
The Chief Minister stated that perpetrators of crimes against children deserve no leniency and stressed that only criminals should fear the police not the public.
She called for ending humiliating attitudes toward harassment complainants, encouraging women to come forward and restoring the confidence of poor citizens.
Additional measures announced include strict lane discipline for traffic the launch of the Traffic Police One App and Safe City Monitoring App and the implementation of a Citizen Management System and E-Tag Information System.
Maryam Nawaz directed the Inspector General and senior officers to personally gather public feedback warning that corruption at higher levels inevitably impacts police stations.
She made it clear that there is no VIP greater than the public and that humiliation of citizens in the name of VIP movement will not be tolerated. “If reforms are not carried out now they may never be possible,” she said, adding that while impartial enforcement of the law is showing positive results a change in police behavior is now unavoidable.
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