Maryam Nawaz calls for joint action against threats to public safety

WEB DESK: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Friday called for collective efforts to tackle ‘visible and invisible’ threat to public safety.

Addressing religious scholars and members of the Provincial “Paigham-e-Aman Committee” in Lahore, the chief minister said that combating crimes required more than law enforcement measures.

“It is easier to fight a visible enemy, but we must also fight the invisible enemy that has entered our homes, streets and mindsets,” she said.

Maryam Nawaz said that the safety of citizens, particularly women and children, remained the government’s priority. “Roads and buildings have no value if people do not feel safe in their own homes,” she said.

Referring to recent incidents, including the killing of a girl in Sargodha, the chief minister said that she personally monitored until suspects were arrested by law enforcement agencies. While noting that crime had declined in Punjab, she said that official action alone could not replace parental supervision and civic responsibility.

The chief minister also referred to incidents in which children drowned in rivers during the summer and the deaths caused by missing manhole covers. She said that municipal authorities continued replacing stolen manhole covers, but they were often stolen again shortly afterwards.

She urged parents to keep children under supervision in markets and public places, saying, “No one knows what is in another person’s mind.”

Maryam also referred to the collapse of the roof of a tuition centre in Lahore, which claimed 14 lives, urging parents to check the condition of buildings before enrolling their children.

Praise for police and call for unity

The chief minister praised Punjab police over security duty during Muharram, saying many officers had to work in shifts lasting up to 18 hours.

She said that one station house officer collapsed while on duty because of exhaustion, adding that such commitment reflected the police’s service to the public.

“We all have to play our part if we want to build a peaceful society,” she said.