Rs300bn earmarked for law & order

LAHORE:The Punjab government has allocated Rs300 billion for law and order in its fiscal year 2025–26 budget. The announcement marks one of the largest-ever investments in internal security in the province’s history, with significant emphasis on technology-driven policing, prison reform, and the establishment of specialised crime-fighting institutions.

More than Rs200 billion of the total allocation has been reserved for non-development expenditures, primarily covering operational costs and salaries for police forces across Punjab. Meanwhile, over Rs10 billion will be spent on development schemes within the Police, Prisons, and Rescue 1122 sectors.

A key highlight of this year’s budget is the formal establishment of the CCD, a specialised body tasked with investigating heinous and organised crimes across the province. The CCD will be headquartered in Lahore and will receive a total of Rs6.54 billion. This includes Rs3.24 billion under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the construction of its state-of-the-art headquarters and investigative facilities, while another Rs3.3 billion is earmarked for staffing, logistics, and operations.

The Punjab govt has rolled out a substantial plan to upgrade police infrastructure, with Rs600 million allocated for the renovation and modernization of police stations across all districts. Additionally, Rs734.7m has been allocated to bolster the Police Training School in Rawalpindi, while the Specialised Protection Unit (SPU) headquarters in Lahore will receive Rs797.2m. To improve crowd control and tactical response capabilities, Rs382m has been approved for the establishment of an Anti-Riot Headquarters in the City.

Emergency services under Rescue 1122 are set for further expansion, with Rs508 million allocated for current and new initiatives. The Emergency Services Academy in Lahore will undergo a Rs352 million upgrade to improve training capacity.

The Lahore Safe City initiative (PPIC3 Phase-I) will be revamped with Rs1.2 billion to install high-resolution cameras and AI-based threat detection tools. To complete Smart Safe Cities in 19 additional districts, Rs2.54 billion has been earmarked, while Rs5.8 billion will fund the CM Tehsil Project, which brings surveillance infrastructure to high-crime divisions across the province. The flagship Lahore Prisons Complex will receive Rs6 billion for construction of a modern correctional facility featuring vocational training, rehabilitation programs, and high-security zones. For ongoing prison infrastructure improvements, Rs674.5 million has been allocated for staff accommodations and inmate reintegration initiatives.

Additional funds include Rs65.6 million for the expansion of Child Protection Units in eight districts and Rs1.17 billion for establishing inter-provincial joint checkposts at key locations like Attock and Bhakkar to counter cross-border crime and smuggling.