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Lahore Police Investigation System Crippled by Corruption Crackdown, Funding Shortages
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News18•03-10-2026, 17:45
Lahore Police Investigation System Crippled by Corruption Crackdown, Funding Shortages
- •Lahore's police investigation system has significantly slowed due to an Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) crackdown, leading to reduced work by investigating officers after arrests in trap raids.
- •Investigating officers face severe financial difficulties, particularly for fuel and operational costs, sometimes requiring complainants and accused to cover expenses.
- •Around 165,000 cases have been registered across Lahore's 84 police stations since January 2026, with many still awaiting investigation, while the city registers approximately 280,000 cases annually.
- •The Punjab government allocated Rs40 million for investigation expenses in Lahore, far short of the estimated annual requirement of Rs1 billion.
- •DIG Investigation Zeeshan Raza confirmed the financial crisis and requested the Punjab government to urgently increase funding for investigation costs.
Key Questions Answered
Lahore's police investigation system has slowed down due to a crackdown by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) and the arrest of several officials in trap raids, which has caused investigating officers to reduce their work.
The Punjab government has allocated Rs40 million for investigation expenses in Lahore, whereas police officials estimate that the actual annual requirement is around Rs1 billion.
Due to a shortage of funds and difficulties in meeting operational costs like fuel, complainants and accused persons are sometimes asked to bear the investigation expenses themselves.