LAHORE: Following corruption complaints against the Punjab Enforcement and Regulator Authority (Pera), Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered a crackdown on its officials involved in illegal actions and harassing the public. She set a deadline of June 30 for the field officials to wear body cams in a bid to ensure transparency and accountability.

“June 30, 2026 is a deadline for equipping Pera field personnel with body cameras. The scrutiny of 4,000 Pera personnel should be started forthwith,” the CM declared in a meeting held to review the performance of the force on Thursday.

“The Pera personnel and officers found involved in unlawful operations may face not just three days of detention, but up to three years in prison. The record of every individual in Pera will be scrutinised. Their past conduct will also be reviewed. Those with clean records should remain fearless, but the corrupt must be prepared,” she declared.

The Pera Force, created in the mid of last year, was aimed at conducting anti-encroachment and price control operations across various parts of Punjab but of late complaints had been pouring in about its officials taking bribes from vendors and shopkeepers. Different video clips showing the Pera officials harassing and humiliating vendors also made rounds on social media. The chief minister also directed the authorities concerned to upgrade Pera’s internal intelligence and whistle-blower system. The field formation of Pera currently consists of 8,000 personnel, of which 4,711 positions have already been filled.

“By the end of June, the recruitment of a total of 7,000 personnel is expected to be completed,” the meeting was told. The CM directed strict monitoring of personnel through the centralised 360 dashboard system.

During the meeting she raised serious concerns regarding Pera’s credibility and discipline.

“Any officer found involved in corruption or misuse of authority should be made an example,” she said and added that the officials (joined Pera on deputation) with questionable reputations should immediately be sent back to their parent departments.

The CM was briefed that 1,356 inquiries were initiated over disciplinary violations and 304 personnel were punished.

The PTI had raised objections to the conduct of Pera, saying it risked creating a parallel enforcement superstructure that overlapped rather than complementing the functions of existing authorities.

“Punjab is not lacking in enforcement institutions as district administrations, municipal corporations, revenue authorities, price control mechanisms, market committees, and policing institutions already exercise jurisdiction over land use, commercial activity, encroachments, and regulatory compliance,” PTI MPA Aftab Ahmad Khan had said in a letter to the Punjab Assembly speaker in some weeks back, requesting legislative review of the Pera.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2026