LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Thursday passed the Police Order (Amendment) Bill 2025 by a majority vote, amid strong opposition criticism over what lawmakers described as the grant of excessive and “unbridled” powers to the police.
Opposition members, particularly from Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), argued that the amended law could lead to misuse of authority. PTI lawmakers Waqas Mann and Nadeem Qureshi said the powers envisaged under the amendments were inconsistent with democratic norms and could undermine civil liberties.
Responding to the criticism, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mujtaba Shuja dismissed the concerns as unfounded. He said the government had adopted a zero-tolerance policy against crime and credited Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz with a visible reduction in criminal activity across the province.
“For the first time, criminals, land grabbers and drug dealers are being dealt with firmly,” he told the House.
The session, presided over by Panel of Chairpersons Samiullah Khan, began after a delay of two hours and 23 minutes. Following the Question Hour, the assembly also passed the Punjab Agriculture, Food and Drug Authority (Amendment) Bill 2025 by a majority vote.
Earlier, the chair fixed Friday for a general debate on an adjournment motion moved by treasury members seeking a relief package for farmers affected by falling agricultural produce prices due to the recent closure of the Afghan border.
Moving the motion, Ahsan Raza said disruption in border trade had severely affected the supply chain and pushed farmers into financial distress. He said many growers were unable to recover production costs and urged the government to restore exports, provide immediate relief, and formulate a policy to prevent similar crises in the future.
Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Usama Laghari said the border closure was due to security concerns and acknowledged the difficulties faced by farmers. He informed the House that the Ministry of Agriculture had written to the relevant authorities, the border had since been reopened, and discussions with farmers were ongoing. He added that the federal ministry had also been approached for support.
Former MPA Amjad Ali Javed said farmers had been incurring losses for the past two years and that the disruption of the Afghan route had halted potato trade worth billions of rupees. He called for the development of alternative trade routes and financial assistance for farmers, describing the situation as a food security issue.
He warned that delays could lead to crop wastage and worsening economic conditions, noting that farmers were facing losses of up to Rs150,000 per acre. He urged both the provincial and federal governments to jointly compensate farmers and address transport costs.
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Iftikhar Hussain Chhachhar highlighted rising cultivation costs, stating that potato growers were facing losses of Rs150,000 to Rs200,000 per acre, following earlier setbacks in rice and sugarcane crops.
Terming the issue critical, the chair said the House would hold a general debate on Friday, with rules relaxed to allow broader participation.
The House also adopted a congratulatory resolution, moved by government member Ahsan Riaz, praising the Pakistan Under-19 cricket team for its victory over India.
Opposition members argued that the amended Police Order grants excessive powers to the police, including the authority to enter homes without a warrant.https://t.co/HvLvPj79u5
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) December 25, 2025
In addition, adjournment motions related to alleged sexual harassment and drug sales at Islamia University Bahawalpur and Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, shortages of fruits and vegetables linked to the Afghan border closure, and alleged favoritism in national hockey appointments were admitted for discussion.
After completing the agenda, the session was adjourned until Friday afternoon.
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