When does enforcing the law cross the line into punishing the innocent? That’s the question sparking debate in Punjab as Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz voices her displeasure over the province-wide traffic crackdown that saw school and college students being treated like criminals. She has now directed the police to stop harassing minors—especially the handcuffing of young drivers—and focus instead on those responsible for putting children behind the wheel.
Sources reveal that the Chief Minister’s explicit instructions were clear: no student or underage individual should be handcuffed again. The controversy erupted after troubling scenes from district courts went viral, showing young teenagers being presented before judges while their anxious parents and lawyers scrambled to secure bail. Videos circulating on social media captured not only the students in custody, but also angry parents confronting officers—a wave of outrage that quickly turned into one of the week’s hottest local topics.
Critics have drawn a biting comparison between this police crackdown and Maryam Nawaz’s earlier laptop distribution program. They argue that while the laptops empowered the youth, the new FIRs could haunt them for life, permanently staining their records. Could a harsh approach to minor traffic violations really justify jeopardizing a young student’s future?
One senior official disclosed that after witnessing the backlash, the Chief Minister ordered a complete change of strategy. Responding promptly, Additional IG Traffic Police Punjab Waqas Nazeer instructed officers across the province to end the arrests of students altogether. Instead of treating underage riders as offenders, he emphasized holding their parents or guardians accountable for allowing them access to vehicles.
The emotional debate doesn’t end there. Parents have voiced deep frustration over the far-reaching consequences a criminal record could have on their children’s careers, calling for more balanced solutions. Lawyers have also jumped into the conversation, urging authorities to adopt stronger educational campaigns and non-criminal corrective measures rather than punitive arrests.
In a surprising twist, the City Traffic Police Lahore announced that it had intensified internal accountability as well—this time targeting its own personnel. Over the past 72 hours, officials impounded 149 vehicles belonging to police officers who failed to pay their e-challans. The spokesperson confirmed that all those vehicles were released only after fines were settled in full.
The larger question now hangs in the air: Is strict enforcement really effective when it risks alienating the very citizens it’s meant to educate? Should the punishment fall on young drivers still learning responsibility—or on the adults who enable their violations? The debate may just be beginning, but the voices on both sides are growing louder by the day.
(Originally reported in Dawn, December 2, 2025.)
