The Punjab government has launched an electronic surveillance programme to monitor repeat sex offenders using GPS-enabled ankle devices, beginning with a pilot deployment in Lahore.
According to the Crime Control Department (CCD), individuals convicted at least twice in rape or sodomy cases will be fitted with tamper-proof bands that send hourly location updates to a central control centre. Any attempt to remove or interfere with the device will alert authorities immediately.
The initial rollout includes 30 devices in Lahore, with plans to distribute 100 more across the province. Removal of the device will only be considered after a consistent period of behavioural compliance.
This initiative is part of a wider surveillance framework approved by Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal, including the procurement of 1,500 GPS trackers for suspects on the Fourth Schedule and repeat offenders under supervision of the CCD, Counter Terrorism Department, and parole authorities. A recent high-level meeting cleared the import of these additional monitoring bands.
In parallel, the provincial government has prepared a draft of the Punjab Control of Goondas Act, 2025, aimed at curbing habitual criminal activity. The law proposes legal measures for identifying and restricting individuals involved in repeated anti-social conduct.
District Intelligence Committees will be authorized to declare a person as a ‘Goonda’ based on reports from law enforcement or intelligence agencies. Criteria include crimes such as extortion, cyber harassment, drug trafficking, gambling, impersonation, and weapon display.
Once declared, the individual may face restrictions including digital surveillance, confiscation of data devices, freezing of bank accounts, community service requirements, and travel bans. The draft law includes provisions for biometric data collection and technical monitoring to ensure compliance and prevent further offenses.
