Lahore: In a major law enforcement push, the Punjab Police arrested more than 118,000 criminals across the province as part of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s Safe Punjab Vision. These arrests, conducted in the first half of the year, targeted a broad spectrum of offenders including proclaimed offenders, court absconders, and habitual criminals.

According to Punjab Police, the operation from January to June led to the detention of 65,000 proclaimed offenders, including 9,515 considered most dangerous (A category) and 55,652 of less severity (B category). Furthermore, the police apprehended over 36,000 court absconders, with 2,623 categorized as A and 33,682 as B. Additionally, 17,725 habitual criminals were taken into custody. International cooperation also resulted in the extradition of 50 offenders wanted for serious crimes, who were subsequently transferred to Pakistan.

Inspector General Punjab, Dr. Usman Anwar, praised the effectiveness of the police teams and issued directives to expedite case processes and ensure rigorous supervision of ongoing operations by Regional Police Officers and District Police Officers. He emphasized the importance of completing investigations swiftly and ensuring that offenders are duly punished.