LAHORE, JUL 14: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Monday said the newly established Punjab Enforcement Regulatory Authority (PERA) would serve as a ‘symbol of terror for the oppressors’ and act as the government’s primary force to enforce law and price control in the province.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of PERA in Lahore, Maryam Nawaz said the authority, which was conceived merely months ago, had now become a functional and well-trained force that would act as the “eyes and ears” of the government.
“This dream has become a reality in just eight months,” she said, congratulating the authority’s Director General, retired Captain Farrukh Atiq, for his “professional and swift implementation” of the project.
The CM said PERA would begin operations next week from the Lahore division and would eventually expand across Punjab with a workforce of around 8,500 personnel.
“The job of PERA officials is to be an iron wall before the oppressor and a beacon of hope for the oppressed,” she remarked. “They will keep a constant eye on illegal occupation, hoarding, encroachments and profiteering. Law will now be seen in action everywhere.”
Price control and anti-encroachment
Referring to the issues of artificial inflation and urban congestion, Ms Nawaz admitted that when she took office, there was no dedicated force to control rising prices.
She criticised the existing price control mechanism, saying it had been outsourced and marred by corruption. “The price control magistrates had hired people who would collect bribes from shopkeepers rather than enforce the law,” she claimed.
She said PERA was created after careful consultation to replace this flawed system with an organised regulatory body. The CM added that several operations had already been carried out across Punjab to eliminate illegal encroachments, which she said had made public spaces safer, particularly for women.
“I have received messages from women saying they no longer face harassment in narrow markets because the streets are now cleared. Traders too are reporting better sales,” she stated.
‘No one is above the law’
In a pointed reference to a recent traffic violation involving her son, Junaid Safdar, Ms Nawaz praised the police officer who issued him a challan.
“The officer did not know he had stopped the Chief Minister’s son. But Junaid told him: do your duty, issue the challan,” she recounted. “Later, I personally called the officer and congratulated him. Whether it is the CM’s son or anyone else — no one is above the law.”
She added that her administration had cracked down on what she called the “dala culture” and reaffirmed that the law must be applied equally, irrespective of an individual’s power or status.
‘PERA is not just a force, it’s a movement’
In her address, the Chief Minister expressed confidence in the youth, noting that PERA had been formed with a strong inclusion of young recruits.
“When I take interviews, I always prefer young people,” she said. “PERA will not just be a regulatory body; it will be a movement and a revolution.”
Ms Nawaz also thanked Punjab’s Inspector General of Police, Dr Usman Anwar, for his support, stating that the success of the project would not have been possible without close coordination between departments.
She emphasised that her government would continue to combat inflation, corruption, and land mafias, adding, “The bigger the violator, the stronger the grip of PERA will be.”
Calling for a shift in outdated mindsets, she said, “The powerful believe that the law is only for the weak. It is time to change that thinking.”
Billions allocated for PERA
The CM revealed that billions of rupees had been spent to bring PERA into existence, positioning it as a cornerstone in the government’s strategy for law enforcement, market regulation, and citizen protection.
She reiterated her commitment to public service, saying, “Serving the people of Punjab is my duty. It is not enough to make laws — we must ensure they are implemented.”
