Crackdown Against Proclaimed Offenders, Absconders Continues Across Punjab

By Muhammad Shahzad | Lahore, Pakistan
LAHORE: A vigorous crackdown by Punjab Police against proclaimed offenders (POs), court absconders, and habitual criminals involved in serious crimes is continuing across the province with significant results reported this year.
According to a police spokesperson, a total of 58,964 proclaimed offenders have been arrested across Punjab, including those held in Lahore. Among them, 16,294 fall under Category A, while 42,670 belong to Category B.
Similarly, 20,921 court absconders have been apprehended, including 3,017 from Category A and 17,904 from Category B. The crackdown also led to the arrest of 11,606 habitual criminals, with 4,597 in Category A and 7,009 in Category B.
In a notable development, 37 dangerous proclaimed offenders involved in serious crimes and residing abroad were successfully arrested and extradited back to Pakistan, marking a major achievement for law enforcement authorities.
In Lahore alone, police arrested 11,315 proclaimed offenders, 6,758 court absconders, and 2,782 habitual criminals during the ongoing campaign.
Inspector General of Police Punjab Abdul Kareem praised the performance of police teams, commending their efforts in tracking and apprehending criminals. He directed officials to further intensify operations against criminal elements to ensure public safety and maintain law and order across the province.