Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Monday directed the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA) to adopt a people-friendly approach, warning that arrogance, misuse of authority, and corruption would not be tolerated within the force. Chairing a meeting at the Civil Secretariat to review PERA's performance, the chief minister was briefed on the authority's operational performance, digitalisation, legal framework, and future roadmap.
Chief Minister's Directives on Conduct
Maryam Nawaz said the culture of ordering people around with phrases such as "pick up your belongings and leave" had no place in PERA. She stressed that every action taken by the authority must be courteous, lawful, and aimed at serving the public. She directed officials to make digital requisitions mandatory for monitoring PERA operations and ordered further activation of the "Ask PERA" portal to ensure the prompt resolution of public complaints. The chief minister also instructed the PERA director general to strengthen direct public engagement and communication.
Performance and Conviction Rate
Praising the authority's judicial performance, Maryam Nawaz said PERA's 99 percent conviction rate reflected its effective enforcement. However, she emphasized that the organisation's public image should not be compromised, adding that officers who intimidate citizens or misuse their powers had no place in the force. She reiterated that corruption and abuse of authority would not be tolerated and directed that all enforcement actions must strictly comply with PERA requisition rules.
Enforcement and Anti-Encroachment Rules
She further ordered that notices and prior warnings must be issued before anti-encroachment operations, while digital requisitions would be mandatory for all enforcement actions except anti-encroachment and price control operations. The chief minister also declared that investigation officers would no longer be transferred on the basis of recommendations and said legal resistance to official action must come to an end to ensure the rule of law.
Operational Statistics and Achievements
During the briefing, officials informed the meeting that PERA had completed more than 62,000 actions through digital requisitions and conducted over 1.52 million inspections across Punjab. A total of 3,509 shops were sealed for violating regulations, while more than 21,000 kanals of encroached land had been recovered. Around 1,700 people were arrested over illegal price hikes and encroachments, with complete digital records of every action maintained in the system.
Legal Success and Digitalisation
The meeting was also informed that PERA had achieved a 99 percent success rate in 136 writ petitions and a 98 percent success rate in cases before judicial magistrates and hearing officers. The authority's electronic challan completion rate has reached a record 97 percent, while the first FIR under the PERA Act for issuing a manual challan has also been registered. Officials further stated that 351 deputed employees had been sent back to their parent departments for disciplinary violations, while departmental accountability measures had resulted in disciplinary action against around 700 officials and the dismissal of 20 employees for negligence.
Future Plans and Training
The briefing added that PERA's challan system is being fully digitised, with digital evidence and post-requisition trial records being securely maintained. A training academy is being established in Kallar Kahar to further improve the professionalism and discipline of the force, while permanent recruitment is expected to be completed by June 2027. An Internal Affairs Unit is also being established to strengthen transparency and accountability.
Conclusion
Concluding the meeting, Maryam Nawaz appreciated PERA's performance but stressed the need to improve its public presentation and communication to enhance public confidence in the authority.
