Lahore:
The chief minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, officially launched the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA), the first provincial organization of the country dedicated to the application of laws against inflation, hoarding and land encroachments.
Speaking during a ceremony held at the Lahore Expo center, the chief minister praised Pera as a transformative stage in the strengthening of the rule of law and the safeguarding of vulnerable communities.
The authority will become operational in the Lahore division next week and should be fully functional in Punjab by December.
“Pera’s idea was designed only eight months ago, and today it has become a reality,” said the CM, praising the pace and professionalism of the formation of the new institution. “Pera is now the shield for oppressed and a means of deterrence for profiteers and land grabbers.”
During the launch event, the chief minister inspected various components of the operations of the new authority, including a 3D model of a PERA station, the law enforcement vehicles, the protective equipment and the central control room. A demonstration of the newly formed PERA force – the application unit – presented their preparation with simulated operations, martial arts and crowd control exercises.
The chief minister stressed that Pera would introduce a new culture of transparency and responsibility in the application. Unlike traditional dependence on the district administration and income control agents for price control and encroachment, the new authority will work as a specialized organization with qualified personnel and dedicated infrastructure.
She also gave praise certificates to the most efficient agents during the PARA training phase. The Director General of PERA, Farrukh ATEEQ, who led the training of the authority, informed the public of his scope and his objectives. He noted that the PARA stations would be established in the province’s 144 Tehsils, equipped with digital devices and hundreds of application vehicles.
“Pera will not only do operations,” said Ateeq. “It will guarantee in -depth investigations, solid proceedings and systemic reforms in the culture of the police.”
CM Maryam Nawaz promised full support from the government to authority and urged Pera officers to maintain honesty and bravery in service.
