LAHORE: The Punjab government has earmarked Rs252 billion for law & order and the provincial police and proposed a hefty amount of Rs47.1 billion for the expansion of the Punjab Safe Cities Project.

According to the Punjab budget 2026-27 documents, as many as 19 districts have so far been equipped with the district integrated command, control & communication centers (DIC3s). The government plans to expand the CCTV camera network under the project to the rest of the districts of the province in the next fiscal year.

Additionally, Rs2.2 billion have been proposed to establish new police posts, police stations, and pickets in the Katcha areas of south Punjab to improve accessibility and writ of the law and to combat hardened criminals and dacoits.

Similarly, the Punjab government would establish crime scene units in 28 districts of the province by allocating Rs14.2 billion. Under the project, the police would collect evidence using scientific methods and transport the same to concerned labs, including the Punjab forensic science agency, following laid down standards.

The purchase of 20 armoured personnel carriers (APCs), 6,000 body cameras for traffic police, installation of panic buttons at police stations and digital evidence recording system has also been proposed by the Punjab government for the next fiscal year. The provision of anti-drone systems, establishment of counter narrative & cognitive security wing were also part of the budgetary allocations, besides logistic support and modern technology for the Punjab counter terrorism department (CTD).

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2026