Punjab freezes Rs2.34bn assets, seizes weapons from banned extremist network

Lahore (Web Desk): Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari on Tuesday reiterated that the responsibility for public security rests with the province, noting that the Punjab administration has put in place a solid plan aimed at preserving peace across the region.

During a press briefing in Lahore, she disclosed that police had confiscated a significant stash of weapons from a banned extremist organisation, including tear gas shells and bulletproof vests. 
She also said the authorities had frozen the group’s assets worth Rs2.34 billion and blocked 52 bank accounts linked to its network.

Bukhari explained that the government had moved against the group’s backers as well, with 90 alleged financiers now facing legal action.

She added that 32 cases had been initiated against people accused of issuing threats on social media. According to her, the outlawed organisation had manipulated religious sentiments to stoke disorder.

Highlighting broader reforms, she said the government had taken steps to strengthen oversight of religious establishments. Nearly 73,000 mosques, she noted, had been geo-tagged, while 84 percent had formally been brought into the registration system.

She also mentioned that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had approved a small monthly allowance for imams in recognition of their role in communities.

Speaking about Afghan migrants, the minister said Punjab had already facilitated the return of 6,220 Afghan nationals to their home country, with only a limited number still living in the province without documentation. She added that the remaining cases in other provinces would be taken up with the federal authorities.

On the security front, Bukhari reported a decline in crime across multiple districts.

Referring to media assessments, she claimed Lahore now ranks safer than major cities such as London and New York.

When questioned about a recent article concerning the former prime minister, she remarked that if any publication, including The Economist, had misrepresented facts, it was up to the PTI to take the matter to court.

Bukhari concluded by saying that the government’s foremost priority is to safeguard citizens’ lives and property, while ensuring that all law-enforcement actions remain transparent and accountable.