Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari on Tuesday said that law and order is a provincial matter and the Punjab government has implemented an effective strategy to maintain peace in the province.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, she stated that police have recovered weapons seized from a banned extremist group, including tear gas shells and bulletproof jackets.

She added that the government has frozen assets worth Rs2.34 billion belonging to the group and blocked 52 bank accounts.

Bukhari said that 90 financiers of the banned group have been booked, while 32 cases have been registered against individuals spreading threats on social media.

She stressed that the extremist group has misused religion to create unrest.

The minister highlighted steps to strengthen religious institutions, stating that the Punjab government had geo-tagged nearly 73,000 mosques and registered 84 per cent of all mosques in the province.

She added that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had decided to provide a modest allowance to imams in recognition of their services.

Regarding Afghan refugees, Bukhari said the Punjab government had repatriated 6,220 Afghan migrants to their home country, with only a few remaining illegally in the province.

She added that discussions would be held with the federal government regarding remaining Afghan nationals in other provinces.

On security, she said crime rates in various districts of Punjab have decreased.

Citing media reports, she claimed that Lahore is safer than London and New York.

When asked about a recent article about the former prime minister, the minister said that if any publication, including The Economist, misrepresented facts, the PTI should take legal action.

Bukhari stated that the government’s top priority is the protection of citizens’ lives and property while ensuring transparency and accountability in law enforcement actions.