Punjab Government Bans Extremist Group, Strengthens Law Enforcement

Lahore – The Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, has approved a comprehensive plan to reinforce law and order and strengthen state authority across the province.

In a high-level meeting focused on security, the provincial government decided to recommend a federal ban on an extremist political party involved in hate speech, incitement, and lawlessness.

Key points of the plan include:

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• Immediate arrest of individuals involved in violence and hate speech.

• Those responsible for the killing of police officers and destruction of public property will face trials in anti-terrorism courts (ATCs).

• The extremist group’s leadership will be designated under the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

• All assets and properties of the group will be transferred to the Auqaf Department.

• Complete ban on the display of the group’s posters, banners, and advertisements.

• Blocking of the group’s social media accounts.

• Freezing of all bank accounts linked to the extremist organization.

• Strict enforcement of the Loudspeaker Act to curb misuse.

In addition, the Punjab government has announced efforts to bring Afghan nationals into the tax system and compile real-time data on illegal foreign residents.

A whistleblower system will be introduced to report illegal residents while ensuring the confidentiality of informants. A province-wide operation will be launched to identify and deport illegal foreign residents and shut down their businesses, in cooperation with federal authorities.

These measures come in response to recent violent protests and disturbances attributed to the extremist group.

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In a move aimed at safeguarding public lives and protecting the city’s water supply, the Karachi Commissioner has imposed a one-month ban on swimming and bathing in the Hub Canal. The restriction will remain in effect from June 17 to July 16.

According to the official notification, the ban has been enforced under Section 144 to prevent drowning incidents and ensure the security of the water supply infrastructure. Authorities stated that rising cases of drowning and illegal activities in the canal have posed serious risks to both public safety and the canal’s operational security.