SAHIWAL: An official of the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (Pera) has been served a show-cause notice following allegations of misconduct during an anti-encroachment operation near Madhali Road on Wednesday night.

Pera Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Nouman Qasir told Dawn that the notice was served after a video clip surfaced on local social media platforms showing Sergeant Talha aggressively removing tables, chairs and flexes placed by a roadside barbecue stall owner and using abusive language against him.

Meanwhile, in an official statement to the media, Mr Nouman admitted that the official’s conduct was unprofessional and affirmed that such behaviour would not be tolerated.

Official sources say that a Pera team on a routine motorcycle patrol spotted a barbecue stall owner encroaching upon the road.

The officials warned the owner and told him to remove the chairs and tables from the road. However, when they returned after some time, the encroachments were still there. At this, the Pera officials confronted the owner, used abusive language and damaged the furniture.

The entire episode was captured by a CCTV camera and later uploaded to social media by someone.

A Pera handout confirms that Sergeant Talha has been served a show-cause notice.

Complaints have been surfacing about the “insulting behavior” of the enforcement agency staff toward shopkeepers.

Pera insiders told Dawn on the condition of anonymity that many sergeants have been inducted in the force from the Punjab police department on a deputation basis and lack formal training in public engagement or behavioural conduct.

“No orientation or attitude training was given to these personnel to guide them about dealing with the public, especially poor vendors. What else could you expect?” an official said.

ARRESTED:Police arrested six persons, including the bridegroom, for allegedly resorting to aerial firing and playing loud music during a wedding at 110/12-L village in Chichawatni tehsil.

According to Chichawatni Saddar police, they received public complaints that at a wedding in the village, the bridegroom Usman and his friends, including Shakeel, Adnan, Neekoo and Irfan, were resorting to aerial firing and playing loud music, harassing and disturbing the area residents.

In a raid, some of the suspects were arrested while ten others, including six transpersons hired for dance performances, managed to flee.

The suspects were booked under sections 337, 285 and 286 of the Pakistan Penal Code, besides section 6 of the Sound System Regulation Act, and sections 3 and 8 of the Marriage Functions Act, on a complaint lodged by Sub-Inspector Muhammad Ashiq.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2025