Police enforce CM’s “Drug-Free Punjab” vision with new crackdown

QAZI SHOAIB KHAN

ATTOCK, JAN 2 /DNA/ – Inspector General Punjab Police Dr. Usman Anwar during his special video link meeting has directed all the RPOs, DPOs of the districts including Attock to launch crack down against drug dealers across the province. Besides, ensuring implementation of directives of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s Drug-Free Punjab Vision, Punjab Police anti-narcotics operations as  continued uninterrupted across the province throughout the year 2025.  This was said by Punjab Police spokesman Syed Mubasher Hussain in his press release.

He said vigorous and effective actions were carried out against drug dealers and smugglers. Punjab Police spokesperson said that during the year 2025, more than 115,000 raids were conducted on drug dealers’ hideouts across the province including Lahore. During these operations, 76,000 drug dealers were arrested and 75,000 cases were registered. From the possession of drug dealers, 43,269 kilograms of charas, 2,279 kilograms of ice, and 3,834 kilograms of heroin were recovered. In addition, more than 923,000 liters of liquor and 3,089 kilograms of opium were also recovered. In the provincial capital Lahore, more than 26,000 drug dealers were arrested and more than 25,000 cases were registered.

Punjab Police spokesperson further said that along with operations against drugs, Punjab Police also fulfilled its social responsibility and admitted 2,159 drug addicts to rehabilitation centers for treatment and recovery. IG Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar said that special operations against drug dealers and smugglers will continue with full force in the coming year as well. He directed that all suspects involved in the online drug supply chain should also be brought to justice. Intelligence-based operations in and around educational institutions and hostels should be further strengthened and expanded so that the young generation can be protected from the menace of drugs.

Meanwhile, Inspector General Police Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar chaired an important meeting at the Central Police Office, Lahore, in which a detailed review was conducted of the implementation of amended traffic laws by Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, improved traffic management, and the overall law and order situation. IG Punjab, while directing further acceleration of crackdowns to ensure effective implementation of traffic laws, reforms and modern systems, said that immediate action should be taken against traffic violations in light of the identification and guidelines provided by the Special Branch. He directed indiscriminate legal action against non-standard number plates and strict action against helmet violations, one-way violations, overloading and other offences. IG Punjab instructed DPOs and District Traffic Officers to personally come out in the field to improve traffic management and to pay special attention to traffic management metrics.

Additional IG Special Branch Punjab Rao Abdul Karim, during the briefing, said that the Special Branch is regularly monitoring traffic accidents, violations of traffic laws and drug peddling. DIG Traffic Punjab Waqas Nazir said that due to effective enforcement of traffic laws, there has been a clear reduction in serious accidents across Punjab, including Lahore, and that the traffic accident rate is zero in 23 districts, while an 82 percent reduction in head injuries has been recorded due to helmet enforcement. He further said that over the past three weeks, 2.5 million citizens have obtained driving licences, while 111,000 licences have been issued through mobile licensing units. CTO Lahore Athar Waheed said that during the past one month, the rate of traffic accidents in Lahore has decreased by 47 percent.

IG Punjab directed further improvement in traffic management performance in various districts including Lodhran, Nankana Sahib, Chiniot, Bahawalnagar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and Khanewal. He issued orders to ensure effective supervision by DPOs to curb online drug peddling, ensure punishment of criminals in narcotics cases, prevent crime through preventive, purposeful and targeted night patrolling, improve police response time on 15 calls, and ensure online connectivity of mobile vehicles with Safe Cities and monitoring of conference calls.

IG Punjab emphasized strict enforcement of laws issued by the Punjab Government on the occasion of Basant, protection of citizens’ life and properties, strict accountability of police personnel involved in corruption, misuse of authority or collusion with drug dealers, and timely completion of welfare and development schemes including police lines and residential barracks. He issued orders for immediate response at the 1787 Complaint Centre, strict punishment for those responsible for delay in registration of cases and corruption, and regular convening of committee meetings to ensure effective coordination among district police, CCD, Special Branch and other operational units. He also directed further tightening of security for Chinese nationals and experts, and ensured arrest and challaning of facilitators of proscribed organizations. The meeting also emphasized thorough preparation through mutual consultation on relevant matters prior to the establishment of the Cyber Crime Department, training of Riot Management Police, provision of human resources, logistics and transport, and visits by RPOs to SDPO circles along with performance reviews.

The meeting was attended by Additional IG Special Branch Rao Abdul Karim, Additional IG Operations Punjab Muhammad Ali Naikokara, DIG Traffic Waqas Nazir, CTO Lahore/DIG PHP Athar Waheed, SSP Traffic Syed Nadeem Abbas and other officers, while Additional IG South Punjab, Managing Director Punjab Safe Cities Authority, RPOs, CPOs, DPOs, CTOs and District Traffic Officers participated via video link, Director Public Relations added.

Qazi Shoaib Khan, Special Correspondent, Attock