Lahore, In a significant escalation of efforts to curb organized crime across Punjab, the provincial police have detained more than 16,000 individuals involved in a range of criminal activities. This intense crackdown, led by Inspector General of Police Punjab, Dr. Usman Anwar, has targeted notorious criminals and organized gangs, resulting in a substantial number of arrests over the past month.

According to Punjab Police, the operations focused on apprehending over 7,500 wanted criminals, including proclaimed offenders involved in robbery, murder, and other serious offenses. Additionally, the police arrested 5,165 judicial fugitives and more than 3,000 habitual target offenders. The crackdown also led to the dismantling of 355 criminal gangs, with 893 gang members arrested.

The police operations have not only led to arrests but also the recovery of stolen goods valued at over 29 crore rupees, which have since been returned to their rightful owners. Furthermore, this year, Punjab Police have successfully extradited more than 40 proclaimed offenders wanted for serious crimes like murder and kidnapping from foreign countries to face justice in Pakistan.

IG Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar has commended the efforts of the police teams and urged them to intensify their efforts using modern investigative technologies. He emphasized the importance of diligent investigations and the effective execution of law enforcement strategies. Regional Police Officers (RPOs) and District Police Officers (DPOs) have been instructed to personally supervise the ongoing operations to ensure maximum impact in the fight against organized crime.