Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Saturday said the province faced a greater security threat from “neighbouring provinces than from neighbouring countries”, stressing that terrorism entered Punjab through its provincial borders.
Speaking at an AI technology event in Lahore, the chief minister said, “The unfortunate thing is that the threat [Punjab] faces comes less from my neighbouring countries and more from my neighbouring provinces.”
“Terrorism enters Punjab from there. Everyone has their eyes on Punjab, but, thank God, Punjab remains safe. The kind of threats we face come from all our provincial borders,” she said.
The chief minister asserted that there had been a significant improvement in the law and order situation since her government came to power in 2024.
She identified organised crime and religious intolerance as some of the main challenges that Punjab faced.
In an apparent reference to the
now-banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), CM Maryam said some groups “spread hatred under the cover of religion” and were “political parties in reality”.
She went on to state that religious events were now held peacefully, compared to the situation of “religious polarisation” a couple of years ago.
Maryam said Punjab was now the country’s “most AI-enabled province” and had invested billions of rupees in technology and security to protect and strengthen it.
She said that when she assumed office, she discovered that terrorists possessed more advanced technology than the government, including night-vision cameras, and were carrying out attacks with carefully devised plans.
“Thank God, we now have a complete system in place,” she said, adding that cameras had been made bulletproof because terrorists used to target them. Thermal cameras and drones had also been deployed at checkpoints and joint checkpoints to strengthen security and protect people.
The Punjab CM recalled that
attacks on checkpoints had previously resulted in the deaths of five people and, at times, as many as 10. “Attacks still happen, but the loss of life has been significantly reduced,” she said, attributing the improvement to investment in fortification and technology.
Referring to the
katcha areas, Maryam said they had previously been a hub of terrorism and crime, including kidnappings for ransom and honey traps.
“With the support we have received from the military and the Punjab government, and with the cooperation of the Sindh government, the situation has now changed. The area has become largely crime-free, and the writ of the state has been established,” she declared.
The chief minister also said she had decided “a few days ago” to take action against elements involved in corruption.
“I am not talking about government ranks or referring to police ranks … I am talking about us as a nation. We have become so accustomed to corruption that it has become part of our daily routine,” she said.
Maryam noted her government had also established a system to ensure immediate action against corrupt elements. “If people do not trust their state, that country can never move forward,” she remarked.
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