Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has termed terrorism a major threat to the province, saying Punjab faces a greater threat from terrorism coming from neighboring provinces than from a neighboring country.
Addressing the launch ceremony of an Artificial Intelligence Hub in Lahore, Maryam Nawaz said no compromise would be made on the province’s law and order. She said the people of Punjab were looking towards her after Allah Almighty, adding that billions of rupees were being spent on the province’s security in response to security threats.
“I face less threat from neighboring countries and more from neighboring provinces,” the chief minister said.
Maryam Nawaz said the Kacha area had remained a hub of crime for decades, but the situation there was now under control with the assistance of the army and the Sindh government. She said threats were coming from the province’s border areas and joint check posts had now been strengthened to eliminate them.
She said the Artificial Intelligence Hub would serve as an important center for coordination among security institutions.
The chief minister said controlling the crime situation and tackling organized crime had been a major challenge. She said five murders used to take place in broad daylight in Punjab, while incidents of abuse against children were particularly distressing.
Maryam Nawaz said enforcing helmet use for motorcycle riders had been a difficult decision. She added that motorcycle riders found without helmets were now being apprehended.
The chief minister also warned of indiscriminate action against corruption in the province. Claiming that corruption was lower in Punjab compared with other provinces, she said it appeared that corruption had unfortunately become ingrained in society as a nation.
She said corruption was often treated not as an evil but as a routine part of life, stressing that no corruption would be tolerated wherever it was found.
