LAHORE: In a pivotal development aimed at reinforcing internal security and implementing the Revised National Action Plan (R-NAP) 2021, the Punjab government has reconstituted its apex provincial security body, the “Counter Terrorism & Harden the State Steering/Review Committee”, placing it under the direct chairmanship of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
According to an official notification issued by the Implementation and Coordination Wing of the Services & General Administration Department (S&GAD), a copy of which is available with The News, the reconstitution of the committee follows the direction of the Central Apex Committee chaired by the Prime Minister of Pakistan on January 3, 2025, and the subsequent approval of the Standing Cabinet Committee on Law & Order on February 14, 2025. The committee, operating at the provincial level under R-NAP 2021, will oversee both kinetic and non-kinetic dimensions of counter-terrorism, with a mandate to support law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and ensure implementation of decisions taken at federal and provincial apex forums.
The news key security committee will be headed by the Home Minister, but as the Home Minister portfolio currently retained by the Chief Minister herself, CM Maryam Nawaz will now directly head this high-level security committee. This marks a structural shift from the previous arrangement in which Punjab Law Minister Mr Sohaib Ahmed Bharath chaired the body.
Other members of the committee include the Provincial Finance Minister, Home Secretary, Inspector General of Police, Additional Inspectors General of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Special Branch, a representative of the ex-Provincial Corps, and any other members co-opted by the Chair.
The notification outlines the committee’s dual-pronged mandate: to bolster kinetic and non-kinetic operations against terrorism—including regulation of illegal spectrum—and to ensure seamless enforcement of decisions made by both federal and provincial apex bodies. The move aligns Punjab’s internal security strategy with broader national efforts under the revised framework of R-NAP.
This shift places Punjab’s security oversight under the direct purview of the Chief Minister for the first time since the revised R-NAP framework was introduced, signalling a more centralized and assertive approach in countering the evolving security threats in the province.
In another measure aimed at reinforcing internal security and operationalising the Revised National Action Plan (R-NAP), the Punjab government has constituted seven pivotal sub-committees under the umbrella of the Counter-Terrorism and Harden the State (CT&HTS) Steering and Review Committee. The decision was taken during the committee’s third meeting held on July 22, 2025, under the chairmanship of Punjab’s Law Minister, and was formally notified by the Home Department on Monday. The sub-committees have been tasked with formulating actionable plans aligned with specific agenda items of the CT&HTS committee, drawing upon the deliberations of prior high-level meetings and consultations with key institutional stakeholders. Each committee will develop a responsibility matrix and detailed timelines to guide implementation, reflecting a results-oriented governance model.
The Counter-Terrorism and IBOs Sub-Committee, led by the Additional IG of Police (CTD), Punjab, brings together senior intelligence representatives from ISI, MI, IB, and Special Branch to oversee continued intelligence-based operations targeting banned organizations such as Fitna-al-Khawarij (FAK) and Fitna-al-Hindustan (FAH). It will also focus on technological upgrades, threat spectrum assessments, and capacity building of police forces, including tenure stability of high-profile PSP officers. The committee will further facilitate the development of a common intelligence picture through the Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Center (PIFTAC).
To regulate hazardous materials and address urban vulnerabilities, the Petroleum/Explosive Products and Encroachments Sub-Committee, headed by the Special Secretary, Home Department, has been mandated to enhance controls on the storage and transport of explosives, initiate digitization of fuel pumps, and undertake crackdowns on illegal gas and fuel agencies. It will also lead an anti-encroachment campaign targeting unlawful settlements in the outskirts of major cities.
The Safe Cities and Highways Sub-Committee, under the leadership of the MD, Punjab Safe Cities Authority, has been entrusted with expanding safe city initiatives, integrating intelligent transport systems across national highways, and bolstering real-time surveillance. The initiative includes strategic collaboration with the Punjab Highway Patrol, National Highways and Motorways Police, and the Punjab Information Technology Board. To confront the growing issue of organized beggary, the Anti-Beggary Sub-Committee, chaired by the Secretary, Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal, has been directed to invoke stringent local-level enforcement measures while also preventing the overseas movement of individuals involved in professional begging rings.
The committee includes representatives from the police, prosecution, FIA, Safe Cities Authority, and Child Protection Bureau. The province’s resolve to eliminate drug trafficking and cross-border smuggling is reflected in the formation of the Anti-Smuggling and Narcotics Control Sub-Committee. Led by the Secretary, Excise and Taxation, it features coordination between customs, Anti Narcotics Force (ANF), Counter Narcotics Force (CNF), police, and prosecution departments. The body has been assigned to dismantle criminal syndicates, remove political or institutional patronage, combat electricity theft, and enhance data access for law enforcement agencies at both federal and provincial levels.
Further strengthening border monitoring, the IPJCP3/DES Sub-Committee, headed by the Collector, Customs (Enforcement), will spearhead the establishment of Digital Enforcement Stations (DESs) at fourteen strategic Indus River bridge locations, creating checkpoints equipped with surveillance and enforcement capabilities to monitor interprovincial movement.
Recognizing the strategic importance of foreign partnerships and investments, particularly those involving Chinese nationals, the Foreign Nationals’ Security Sub-Committee has been formed with a focused mandate to ensure foolproof security protocols. Chaired by the DIG, Special Protection Unit, the committee includes senior members from the Special Branch and Home Department and aligns with Punjab’s broader commitment to diplomatic and economic cooperation.
The Home Department has formally issued copies of the notification to top federal and provincial stakeholders including the Chief Secretary Punjab, Inspector General of Police, Director General FIA, Chairman Planning & Development Board, and other departmental heads. These measures underscore Punjab’s evolving security doctrine, characterized by cross-departmental coordination, data-driven enforcement, and institutional accountability, as it moves to meet the challenges of a rapidly transforming threat landscape under the R-NAP framework.