LAHORE(National Times)- Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Saturday said the province faced a greater security threat from \u201cneighbouring provinces than from neighbouring countries\u201d, stressing that terrorism entered Punjab through its provincial borders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking at an AI technology event in Lahore, the chief minister said: \u201cThe unfortunate thing is that the threat [Punjab] faces comes less from my neighbouring countries and more from my neighbouring provinces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTerrorism 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,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She identified organised crime and religious intolerance as some of the main challenges that Punjab faced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an apparent reference to the now-banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), CM Maryam said some groups \u201cspread hatred under the cover of religion\u201d and were \u201cpolitical parties in reality\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She went on to state that religious events were now held peacefully, compared to the situation of \u201creligious polarisation\u201d a couple of years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maryam said Punjab was now the country\u2019s \u201cmost AI-enabled province\u201d and had invested billions of rupees in technology and security to protect and strengthen it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThank God, we now have a complete system in place,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Punjab CM recalled that attacks on checkpoints had previously resulted in the deaths of five people and, at times, as many as 10. \u201cAttacks still happen, but the loss of life has been significantly reduced,\u201d she said, attributing the improvement to investment in fortification and technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Referring to the katcha areas, Maryam said they had previously been a hub of terrorism and crime, including kidnappings for ransom and honey traps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith 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,\u201d she declared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The chief minister also said she had decided \u201ca few days ago\u201d to take action against elements involved in corruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am not talking about government ranks or referring to police ranks \u2026 I am talking about us as a nation. We have become so accustomed to corruption that it has become part of our daily routine,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maryam noted her government had also established a system to ensure immediate action against corrupt elements. \u201cIf people do not trust their state, that country can never move forward,\u201d she remarked.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LAHORE(National Times)- Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Saturday said the province faced a greater security threat from \u201cneighbouring provinces than from neighbouring countries\u201d, stressing that terrorism entered Punjab through its provincial borders. Speaking at an AI technology event in Lahore, the chief minister said: \u201cThe unfortunate thing is that the threat [Punjab] faces comes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":132574,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-132573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n