Maryam Nawaz orders arrest of Pera officer who assaulted shopkeeper
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Thursday ordered the immediate arrest of a Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority officer for assaulting a shopkeeper in Rahim Yar Khan. The Pera officer arrest order came as the chief minister took a hard line on misconduct by law enforcement staff.
The chief minister said law enforcement personnel were not above the law and could not be allowed to take the law into their own hands. She said the government would not tolerate violent behaviour towards any citizen, stressing that officials responsible for maintaining order must themselves stay within the bounds of the law.
Pera officer arrest: what the CM ordered
Maryam Nawaz directed that the Pera officer involved in the assault be arrested at once. The incident took place in Rahim Yar Khan, where the officer allegedly attacked a shopkeeper. Details of what triggered the confrontation have not been made public yet.
The chief minister’s message was aimed beyond this single case. Pera officers work as the province’s frontline enforcement arm in markets and commercial areas, dealing directly with traders and shopkeepers. The order signals that abuse of that authority will draw swift action from the top.
Who Pera is
The Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority is the provincial body’s enforcement wing, tasked with regulation and compliance across markets and commercial activity. Its officers carry out inspections, enforce rules and act against violations in bazaars and business districts.
That role puts them in daily contact with shopkeepers, which is why confrontations like the Rahim Yar Khan incident carry weight. The chief minister’s response underlines that enforcement powers come with accountability. Police in Rahim Yar Khan are expected to register a case and carry out the arrest under the CM’s direction. The chief minister’s office has not yet said whether the officer will also be suspended from duty.
CM also mourns Peshawar school tragedy
In the same statement, the chief minister expressed deep grief over the deaths of schoolchildren in a roof collapse in Peshawar and extended her sympathies to the bereaved families. She prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured children.
The Peshawar collapse has drawn condemnation across the country. Our report on the arrest of the school owner in the collapse probe covers how investigators are treating the case.
FAQs
Who ordered the Pera officer’s arrest?
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz ordered the immediate arrest of the Pera officer on Thursday, Oct 16, 2026.
What did the officer do?
The Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority officer allegedly assaulted a shopkeeper in Rahim Yar Khan. The exact trigger of the confrontation has not been disclosed.
What did Maryam Nawaz say about the incident?
She said law enforcement personnel were not above the law and could not take the law into their own hands, adding that the government would not tolerate violent behaviour towards any citizen.
What did the CM say about the Peshawar school collapse?
She expressed deep grief over the deaths of schoolchildren in the Peshawar roof collapse, offered sympathies to the bereaved families and prayed for the recovery of the injured children.
