Maryam Nawaz removes Jhang Deputy Commissioner after PERA vehicle appears in car rally

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has ordered the immediate transfer of Jhang Deputy Commissioner Babar Sahib Din after a video showed a vehicle belonging to the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA) participating in a car rally in the district.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has ordered the immediate transfer of Jhang Deputy Commissioner Babar Sahib Din after a video showed a vehicle belonging to the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA) participating in a car rally in the district.

The decision was announced on October 25, 2026 after the chief minister took notice of the footage. Punjab Information Minister Azma Zahid Bokhari also shared her response on social media.

Official transfer notification issued

According to an official notification issued by the Punjab Government’s Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) Babar Sahib Din a BS-18 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service has been transferred with immediate effect.

The notification directs him to report to the S&GAD for further orders. It was issued in Lahore on October 25 under the authority of Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman.

In her statement on X, Maryam Nawaz said the video showed a PERA vehicle accompanying other vehicles during a car rally. She described the use of regulatory authority resources for activities outside their official responsibilities as a serious breach of administrative discipline and government policy.

Video shows PERA vehicle in rally

The footage reportedly shows a black Toyota Hilux double-cabin pickup bearing the PERA logo travelling alongside a Land Cruiser and other vehicles on a dusty track in Jhang. A man in a blue shirt can also be seen hanging from the side of the moving government vehicle raising questions about compliance with official safety procedures.

PERA was established to strengthen enforcement across Punjab particularly against hoarding, unlawful profiteering price manipulation and illegal encroachments. Its vehicles and equipment are intended for official regulatory duties rather than recreational activities.

Part of Punjab’s crackdown on official protocol

The action comes amid the Punjab government’s broader efforts to prevent the misuse of public resources. On October 22 the provincial government announced restrictions on permanent police escorts for cabinet members advisers and unauthorised individuals. It also prohibited the use of official flags and flagstaffs on vehicles by people without entitlement and suspended government-funded fuel for protocol duties.

The latest decision reinforces the provincial administration’s stated position that public resources must be used for official responsibilities and public service.

The transfer has attracted attention on social media where the action has been viewed as a signal that government officers are expected to follow administrative rules regardless of their positions. A replacement for the Jhang deputy commissioner is expected to be appointed by the provincial government.