THE proposed creation of a new parallel, uniformed, and armed force in Punjab with vast powers to intrude into the life of citizens through arbitrary inspections, patrols and search of any person or vehicle, as well as to seize articles and goods, and make arrests, is quite perplexing. Ostensibly, the Punjab Enforcement & Regulatory Authority (PERA) is being set up to ‘streamline regulatory measures and ensure effective enforcement of existing special laws to implement a uniform overarching strategy on regulatory compliance’. However, it is widely being interpreted as an attempt by the bureaucracy to encroach upon powers of other agencies, including police and even the counterterrorism force. At another level, it is being seen as an endeavour by the powers that be to further suppress political dissent in the province through the use of a special enforcement unit. It goes without saying that the creation of the authority goes against the ‘advice’ of Pakistan’s international creditors to cut the size of the bloated public sector, slash wasteful expenditure, and liquidate overlapping functions at all tiers of governance. That Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif is moving ahead with the legislation, despite serious concerns raised by both treasury and opposition members sitting on a provincial assembly committee discussing its merits and demerits, shows that she prefers to govern through the bureaucracy just like her father rather than trusting the elected lawmakers.

Many lawmakers rightly believe that the bureaucracy-led PERA board will undermine the authority of the (minority) elected representative on it. Needless to say, the new enforcement mechanisms the authority is being created to oversee will overlap with the existing apparatus meant for ensuring price control, state land colonisation and prevention of hoarding. Any shortcomings in their enforcement mechanisms could be removed by amending those laws instead of creating a supra structure above them. If the government still feels the need for this force, it should publicly come clean on its powers, jurisdiction and functions.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2024