Punjab declares end to ‘No-Go Areas’, unveils Katcha transformation package

• Information Minister Azma Bokhari says Punjab ends Katcha ‘no-go zones’, launches Rs23bn transformation plan

• Says CM Maryam extends education, welfare and livelihood schemes to riverine belt

• Says govt to give 14,500 acres free to landless farmers under Apna Khet Apna Rozgar, with 300 scholarships, free laptops and 1,000 livestock cards for residents

• Drone surveillance, thermal imaging and Safe City Authority network to secure former dacoit strongholds

 LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari on Thursday declared an end to “no-go areas” across the province, announcing that the entire Katcha belt would be transformed into a secure and developed region after the state established its writ in the troubled riverine zone.

“After 76 years, the writ of the state has been firmly established in these areas and the era of dacoits has been brought to an end,” she said while addressing a press conference .

Mrs Bokhari said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had approved a major development package worth Rs23 billion for the uplift of the Katcha area, aimed at integrating the long-neglected region into the mainstream through economic, social and security reforms.

کچے کے علاقے کو کلیئر کرنے کے بعد اب اس کی باقاعدہ ترقی کا آغاز کر دیا گیا ہے۔ وزیراعلیٰ مریم نواز شریف نے 23 ارب روپے کے جامع منصوبے کی منظوری دی ہے جس کے تحت تعلیم، صحت اور بنیادی انفراسٹرکچر فراہم کیا جائے گا۔ مقصد واضح ہے، اس پسماندہ اور نو گو علاقے کو مکمل طور پر فعال اور… pic.twitter.com/gWA1Kwnw3e

— PMLN (@pmln_org) April 30, 2026

Under the initiative, 14,500 acres of government land will be distributed free of cost among local landless farmers for cultivation under the “Apna Khet Apna Rozgar” programme, enabling them to become self-reliant.

She said the development package includes the establishment of new schools and colleges, upgradation of existing educational institutions, provision of 300 merit-based scholarships, and a special quota of free laptops for students to promote education in the region.

کچے کے علاقوں کے لیے بریفنگ میں “اپنا کھیت، اپنا روزگار” پروگرام شامل نہ تھا تو وزیراعلیٰ مریم نواز شریف نے خود اس پر سوال اٹھایا۔ بتایا گیا کہ تقریباً 14,500 ایکڑ سرکاری زمین دستیاب ہے، جسے اب مقامی کاشتکاروں کو دی جائے گی۔ ساتھ ہی اسکولوں کی اپ گریڈیشن اور نئے تعلیمی منصوبے بھی… pic.twitter.com/l6ET8lwppA

— PMLN (@pmln_org) April 30, 2026

In addition, 1,000 livestock cards will be issued to support women through financial assistance for livestock farming, alongside skill development programmes to strengthen livelihoods.

Mrs Bokhari said all ongoing welfare and development schemes of the chief minister had now been extended to the Katcha belt, adding that National Database and Registration Authority mobile teams were actively issuing CNICs and B-Forms to ensure residents could fully benefit from government initiatives.

To ensure long-term peace and security, she said the region would be monitored through modern drones, advanced weaponry, thermal imaging systems and digital surveillance under the Safe City Authority programme, vowing that no criminal or anti-state element would be allowed to regain a foothold.

The minister also announced special concessions for local youth in police recruitment, including relaxation in height and chest requirements, aimed at maximizing employment opportunities for residents of the area.

She said the 14,500 acres of land allocated across three districts of the Katcha belt would be distributed among local cultivators, but cultivation of sugarcane and other dense crops would remain restricted in certain areas as such crops had previously provided cover to criminal elements.

Infrastructure development under the package will include the construction of roads, bridges and model villages to connect the region with the broader development network.

Mrs Bokhari said for the first time in 76 years, NADRA mobile registration services had been deployed in the Katcha area, allowing residents to obtain identity documents and gain access to public services.

Highlighting recent security gains, she credited Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for clearing the Katcha belt of dacoits and terrorists, saying police had been equipped with advanced drones capable of detecting hidden militants even in crop fields, along with armoured vehicles to strengthen operational capacity.

Responding to questions, she said strict monitoring mechanisms were in place and a large number of criminals had already surrendered. The Safe City network, she added, was being expanded to ensure real-time digital surveillance, with similar systems already operational in districts such as Mianwali and Khushab.

Mrs Bokhari stressed that merit would remain the cornerstone of the initiative, saying the allocated land was strictly meant for landless farmers who had suffered for generations, and that no political recommendation or affiliation would be entertained.

She added that alternative registration mechanisms would also be introduced in areas lacking internet access to ensure no eligible resident was left out.

The minister said the development plan had been divided into two segments — floodplain and outer areas — with the Irrigation Department assigned responsibility for floodplain restoration.

She said the government was committed to fully transforming the Katcha belt and, if required, would arrange even Rs230 billion to complete its development.

Mrs Bokhari further announced that the chief minister had approved a hardship allowance for all police personnel deployed in the challenging riverine areas, extending the facility to all ranks and not just senior officers.

Concluding, the minister criticized the spread of misinformation and propaganda on digital platforms, saying certain elements, often operating from overseas, were attempting to create unrest through false campaigns, and urged responsible use of digital media to prevent the spread of baseless information.