Habitual offenders to be monitored thru electronic bands

LAHORE : Punjab government has announced it will electronically tag habitual sex offenders using GPS-enabled ankle monitors linked to a central control room.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Crime Control Department (CCD), initially targets repeat offenders in rape and sodomy cases before expanding to other serious crimes. Under the new system, offenders convicted in two or more cases will be fitted with tamper-proof electronic bands that transmit real-time location updates every hour to CCD monitors. If a tagged individual attempts to leave designated areas without authorisation or damages the device, authorities will receive immediate alerts. "These electronic restraints will physically restrict offenders while allowing us to track their movements 24/7," a CCD spokesperson revealed.

The first batch of 30 devices will be deployed in Lahore this week, with 100 more allocated province-wide. Bands may be removed only after offenders demonstrate improved behaviour over a monitored period. The measure complements a broader electronic surveillance programme greenlit by Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal, which includes 1,500 GPS trackers for Fourth Schedule suspects and repeat offenders under CTD, CCD, and parole oversight.