Punjab Launches First Enforcement and Regulatory Authority to Combat Economic Crimes
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif officially launched Pakistan’s first Punjab ‘Enforcement and Regulatory Authority’ (PERA) on Thursday, marking a significant step in the province’s efforts to tackle economic crimes. The initiative aims to combat profiteering, hoarding, and land-grabbing across Punjab. The launch ceremony took place at the Expo Centre Lahore, with the chief minister serving as the chief guest.
Operational Readiness and Infrastructure
PERA is set to become fully operational in the Lahore division next week, with plans for a full rollout across all of Punjab by December this year. During the event, Maryam Nawaz reviewed PERA’s operational readiness, meeting with force officers and personnel, inspecting patrol vehicles and motorbikes, and expressing particular satisfaction upon seeing women SDEOs in the ranks.
She also examined a 3D model of a PERA station and reviewed weapons, protective gear, shields, and other operational equipment. The chief minister toured various sections of the PERA Station, including the control room, investigation room, arrest room, conference room, waiting area, and barracks. A demonstration of preparedness was conducted, with a smartly turned-out PERA contingent performing a march-past and martial arts display, as well as conducting a mock drill on crowd control to prevent breaches of law and order.
During the ceremony, Maryam Nawaz awarded certificates to four officers for outstanding performance in the PERA training program.
Mission and Expansion Plans
Addressing the gathering, PERA Director General Captain (Retd.) Farrukh Atique outlined the authority’s mission to bring systemic reform to law enforcement in the province. He explained that after the Lahore division pilot, PERA will be expanded to all cities, tehsils, districts, and divisions of Punjab by year’s end.
“PERA will launch targeted actions against inflation, hoarding, and the land-grabber mafia to retrieve illegally occupied land,” he said. “This will help restore public and investor trust in the government.”
The DG highlighted that PERA will not only focus on enforcement operations but also ensure transparent investigations and robust prosecutions to deliver effective results. Plans are in place to establish PERA Headquarters, Lines, and Training Cells with the Chief Minister’s approval. He also thanked Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for her strong support in making the authority a reality.
Focus on Housing and Social Development
In addition to the launch of PERA, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif presided over a high-level meeting to review progress on the ‘Apni Chhat Apna Ghar’ programme. She directed officials to accelerate construction to deliver homes to the province’s poorest families.
During the meeting, a detailed briefing was given to the chief minister on the project’s current status. Officials informed the CM that so far loans have been provided to 51,911 low-income families under the scheme, with a total of over Rs. 60.5 billion disbursed. Currently, 45,178 houses are under construction, while 6,160 have been completed.
The chief minister stressed the need to further speed up development work. “Every decision we take must have one key performance indicator: the development, protection, and convenience of our people,” she told the meeting.
Maryam Nawaz reaffirmed her party’s commitment to tackling homelessness, stating, “It is the vision of Quaid PML-N Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and my own pledge to provide shelter to Punjab’s poor and homeless. The day a poor family gets a house, the state fulfils its noble mission.”
Rejecting what she called “traditional politics,” she emphasized that the current PML-N government is focused on meaningful public service. “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar is not just about building bricks and walls,” she added. “It marks the beginning of a new life for our most vulnerable citizens. For the first time in Pakistan’s history, such large-scale efforts are being made to provide shelter to the underprivileged in Punjab.”
She vowed to continue working tirelessly to ensure that “no citizen of Punjab remains without a roof over their head.”
