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
US freezes immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, including Pakistan
- Immigrant visas to be suspended from Jan 21, tourist visas unaffected
- Move targets “public charge” concerns as Trump revives hard-line immigration rules
ISLAMABA: The United States will pause immigrant visa issuances for nationals of 75 countries, including Pakistan, from January 21, the State Department said on Thursday, as President Donald Trump presses ahead with a hard-line immigration agenda centered on financial self-sufficiency.
In an update published on its website, the State Department said it was conducting a comprehensive review of immigration policies to ensure that migrants from what it described as “high-risk” countries do not rely on public welfare in the United States or become a “public charge.”
“The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the US can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people,” the department said.
The pause applies specifically to immigrant visas, which are issued to people seeking permanent residence in the United States. The department said applicants from affected countries may still submit applications and attend interviews, but no immigrant visas will be issued during the suspension.
According to the State Department, the affected countries include Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Russia, Somalia, Brazil, Thailand and dozens of others across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America.
The department said tourist and other non-immigrant visas are not affected, and that no previously issued immigrant visas have been revoked. Dual nationals applying with a valid passport from a country not on the list are exempt from the pause.
The State Department did not indicate how long the visa pause would remain in effect, saying it would continue until its review of screening and vetting procedures is completed.
The announcement underscores the breadth of the Trump administration’s renewed immigration crackdown. Since returning to office last year, Trump has revived and expanded enforcement of the “public charge” provision of US immigration law, which allows authorities to deny entry to applicants deemed likely to rely on public benefits.
During his previous term, Trump imposed sweeping travel restrictions on several Muslim-majority countries, a policy widely referred to as a “Muslim ban,” which was challenged in courts before a revised version was upheld by the Supreme Court and later rescinded under former president Joe Biden.
The visa freeze also comes amid an intensifying domestic enforcement push. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has expanded operations nationwide, drawing scrutiny over its tactics. Last week, an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good, a US citizen, during a federal operation in Minneapolis, sparking protests and renewed debate over immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
