ISLAMABAD: Police in the Pakistani province of Punjab have said Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s act of wearing a police uniform to a passing out parade this week was a “commendable show of solidarity” after widespread criticism by opposition politicians and social media users.
On Thursday, Sharif, who is the first woman chief minister in Pakistan’s history, wore a police uniform while attending a passing out parade of woman constables and traffic assistants at the Police Training College in Chung.
Opposition leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub, and other opposition politicians like Yasmin Rashid, Moonis Elahi and Shahbaz Gill all criticized Nawaz’s decision to don the police uniform. The issue also remained a top trend on social media, with many users questioning the logic behind the move.
But the Punjab Police force came out in the chief minister’s defense in an X post.
“As per the ‘Punjab Police Dress Regulations’, the CM of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, is entitled to wear the police uniform,” it said in a statement.
“This has been widely celebrated by the police personnel, who view it as a commendable show of solidarity.”
The statement said the Central Police Office had received hundreds of messages by police personnel who had “lauded” Sharif’s act of wearing the uniform and women police officers in particular were celebrating the gesture.
Punjab police also shared a copy of rules that govern how governors and chief ministers can dress on formal occasions.
As per the amended Punjab Police Dress Regulations, “chief minister may wear uniform on formal occasions like review of parades, while addressing police darbars, visiting police establishments or any such occasion as specified, for encouraging the police personnel and troops.”
Separately, a citizen named Waqar Ali filed a plea at a local court against Sharif, arguing that a civilian cannot wear the uniform of an institution and calling for a case to be registered against the Punjab chief minister.
Punjab Police defends chief minister after controversy over wearing police uniform
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Punjab Police defends chief minister after controversy over wearing police uniform
- Sharif donned police uniform to attend passing out parade on Thursday
- Move widely criticized by political opponents and social media users
Anti-fuel smuggling drive boosts Pakistan revenues 82%, PM office says
- Crackdown targets illegal petroleum trade using GPS tracking and pump registration
- July–November gains cited as government intensifies tax, customs enforcement
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani prime minister’s office said on Friday revenues from petroleum products rose 82% between July and November 2025 after a nationwide crackdown on fuel smuggling, as the government steps up enforcement to curb tax evasion and losses that have long strained public finances.
The increase was cited during a weekly performance review of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to accelerate action against smuggling and tax evasion, according to a statement issued by the PM’s Office.
Fuel smuggling has been a persistent problem in Pakistan, where subsidised or untaxed petroleum products are often trafficked across borders or sold through unregistered pumps, depriving the state of revenue and distorting domestic energy markets. Successive governments have blamed the practice for billions of rupees in annual losses, while international lenders have repeatedly urged tighter enforcement as part of broader fiscal reforms.
“Every year the nation loses billions due to smuggling,” Sharif was quoted as saying in a statement, praising customs authorities for successful operations and noting that revenues from petroleum products increased by 82% from July to November 2025 compared with the same period last year.
The PM said stricter enforcement had brought several goods back into the formal economy, adding that there would be “no leniency” toward those involved in tax evasion or illegal trade.
Officials briefed the prime minister that Pakistan Customs has rolled out a nationwide enforcement framework, including GPS tracking of petroleum product transportation, registration of fuel stations through a digital monitoring system, and legal action against illegal machinery under updated petroleum laws.
The government has also instructed provincial administrations to cooperate fully with federal authorities in shutting down illegal petrol pumps, the statement said.
Sharif said enforcement efforts would continue until smuggling networks were dismantled and tax compliance improved, as the government seeks to strengthen revenues amid ongoing economic reforms.
Pakistan has struggled for years with weak tax collection and a narrow revenue base, forcing repeated bailouts from the International Monetary Fund. Smuggling of fuel, cigarettes, electronics and consumer goods has been identified by policymakers as a major obstacle to improving revenues and stabilising the economy.
Independent research shows that Pakistan loses an estimated Rs750 billion (about $2.7 billion) annually in tax revenue due to illicit trade and smuggling across sectors such as petroleum, tobacco and pharmaceuticals. Broader analyzes suggest total tax revenue losses linked to the informal economy and smuggling may reach as high as Rs3.4 trillion (around $12.1 billion) a year, roughly a quarter of the government’s annual tax targets.
Smuggled petroleum products alone are thought to cost the state about Rs270 billion (around $960 million) a year in lost revenue, underscoring why authorities have focused recent enforcement efforts on fuel tracking and pump registration.
