Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Saturday said the province faced a greater security threat from “neighbouring provinces than from neighbouring countries”, stressing that terrorism entered Punjab through its provincial borders.
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terrorism → say → borders
Speaking at an AI technology event in Lahore, the chief minister said: “The unfortunate thing is that the threat [Punjab] faces comes less from my neighbouring countries and more from my neighbouring provinces.”
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Punjab → speak → provinces
“Terrorism enters Punjab from there.
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Terrorism → enter → Punjab
Everyone has their eyes on Punjab, but, thank God, Punjab remains safe.
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Punjab → have → God
The kind of threats we face come from all our provincial borders,” she said.
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she → face → borders
The chief minister asserted that there had been a significant improvement in the law and order situation since her government came to power in 2024.
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government → assert → 2024
She identified organised crime and religious intolerance as some of the main challenges that Punjab faced.
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Punjab → identify → that
In an apparent reference to the now-banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), CM Maryam said some groups “spread hatred under the cover of religion” and were “political parties in reality”.
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groups → ban → reality
She went on to state that religious events were now held peacefully, compared to the situation of “religious polarisation” a couple of years ago.
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events → go → years
Maryam said Punjab was now the country’s “most AI-enabled province” and had invested billions of rupees in technology and security to protect and strengthen it.
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Punjab → say → it
She said that when she assumed office, she discovered that terrorists possessed more advanced technology than the government, including night-vision cameras, and were carrying out attacks with carefully devised plans.
“Thank God, we now have a complete system in place,” she said, adding that cameras had been made bulletproof because terrorists used to target them.
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terrorists → say → them
Thermal cameras and drones had also been deployed at checkpoints and joint checkpoints to strengthen security and protect people.
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cameras → deploy → people
The Punjab CM recalled that attacks on checkpoints had previously resulted in the deaths of five people and, at times, as many as 10.
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attacks → recall → times
“Attacks still happen, but the loss of life has been significantly reduced,” she said, attributing the improvement to investment in fortification and technology.
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she → happen → fortification
Referring to the katcha areas, Maryam said they had previously been a hub of terrorism and crime, including kidnappings for ransom and honey traps.
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they → refer → ransom
“With the support we have received from the military and the Punjab government, and with the cooperation of the Sindh government, the situation has now changed.
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situation → receive → government
The area has become largely crime-free, and the writ of the state has been established,” she declared.
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she → become → state
The chief minister also said she had decided “a few days ago” to take action against elements involved in corruption.
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she → say → corruption
“I am not talking about government ranks or referring to police ranks …
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I → talk → ranks
I am talking about us as a nation.
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I → talk → nation
We have become so accustomed to corruption that it has become part of our daily routine,” she said.
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she → become → routine
Maryam noted her government had also established a system to ensure immediate action against corrupt elements.
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government → note → elements
“If people do not trust their state, that country can never move forward,” she remarked.
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she → trust → state
PTI condemns CM Maryam’s remarks
PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram strongly condemned Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s remarks that a neighbouring province posed a greater security threat to her than India, saying the statement was reckless and reflected a disturbing tendency to view a national security challenge through the narrow lens of provincial politics.
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statement → condemn → politics
In a statement issued by the party’s Central Media Department, Waqas said Maryam’s remarks reflected an attempt to view national security through the prism of personal, familial and provincial interests.
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remarks → issue → interests
“Such selective political narratives are highly irresponsible, particularly at a time when terrorism remains a national challenge, with no part of the country completely safe from the threat.
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terrorism → remain → threat
Combating terrorism requires unity, collective responsibility and cooperation among all federating units, rather than attempts to pit one province against another or exploit the issue for narrow political and provincial interests,” he said.
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he → combat → interests
Waqas said such remarks were not unprecedented, recalling that Maryam’s uncle, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, had also made a similar statement in the past when he appealed to terrorists to spare Punjab.
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he → say → Punjab
He described that stance as deeply irresponsible, saying it was interpreted as an appeal to direct terrorist activities towards other parts of the country rather than Punjab.
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it → describe → Punjab
He reminded Maryam that Pakistan’s security challenges could not be addressed by blaming one province while ignoring broader national and regional realities.
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challenges → remind → realities
Waqas added that the country needed leadership capable of thinking beyond provincial boundaries and treating every Pakistani citizen equally.
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country → add → citizen
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