Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif chaired her sixth consecutive meeting on law and order, during which it was decided that FIRs will be registered against individuals who rent or lease property to illegal foreign nationals, including Afghans residing unlawfully in the province.
Under the directives, daily reports will be compiled on all residential and commercial properties rented to foreign nationals, covering houses, shops, factories, hotels, petrol pumps, and other establishments.
Mosque announcements will also be made across the province to help identify undocumented residents, while Patwaris, Numberdars, and SHOs will be responsible for verification and reporting.
The provincial government has also ordered a comprehensive field survey in all districts to update the data of illegal foreign residents. Legal action has been approved against individuals who entered Pakistan on visit visas or without authorization and are engaged in unlawful economic activities.
Authorities were further instructed to submit detailed reports on benami and suspicious properties, with warnings of strict measures against anyone facilitating illegal residents.
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Officials informed the meeting that five FIRs have already been registered in Khanewal against individuals who provided property to illegal Afghan nationals. They added that facial recognition technology is being deployed to identify undocumented residents, and 45 holding centers have been set up to provide temporary accommodation, meals, and transportation to the Torkham border.
The meeting was also briefed on an ongoing crackdown against illegal weapons, as well as investigations into social media activists promoting extremist organizations. Religious seminaries are being de-sealed following verification processes.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed all departments to ensure accurate data collection of Afghan residents in the province, emphasizing that accountability must be enforced while ensuring no innocent individual is harassed or wrongfully targeted.
