Punjab bans permanent police escorts for ministers, MPAs among others

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Saturday directed that no permanent police squad be deployed with provincial ministers, members of the provincial assembly and other individuals. Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Sajid Zafar Dall issued a notification conveying the decision. According to the notification, provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants, parliamentary secretaries, chairpersons of standing committees and members of the Punjab Assembly will not be allowed to retain permanent police escorts. The restriction also applies to government officials and private individuals. Read: PA seeks answers over CM's aircraft use for private visit The notification further prohibits the installation of flagstaffs or the display of official flags on government vehicles without prior permission. The chief minister has made it clear that unauthorised police escorts will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Earlier in March, the provincial government had also introduced austerity measures amid rising fuel costs, including suspending government-provided fuel for provincial ministers, cutting fuel allowances for government officers’ vehicles by 50% and restricting protocol convoys accompanying ministers and senior officials to one vehicle for essential security purposes. The use of police personnel for VIP protocol has long drawn ire in Punjab over the diversion of public resources from routine policing. In November 2025, The Express Tribune reported a rise in armed private escorts, commonly known as “dala culture”, amid concerns about weak regulation, unauthorised armed patrols and the use of security as a display of power. Punjab had issued more than 200 new private security company licences in recent years, while taking enforcement action against firms for violations. Prior to that, authorities had also announced a crackdown on private security firms using police-like uniforms and vehicles after armed guards escorting foreign visitors were involved in a violent road dispute in Lahore.

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