The November protests organized by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) incurred over Rs1.5 billion in expenses for law enforcement in Punjab alone. To manage the financial burden, Punjab Police has sought an additional Rs500 million from the government.
To maintain law and order during the demonstrations, 27,000 officers were stationed across Punjab, including Lahore, with 2,000 more deployed to Islamabad. The protests resulted in significant casualties, with 131 police personnel injured and one officer losing their life. Authorities also reported that 20 officers were taken hostage by violent protesters but were later rescued.
Operational costs reached nearly Rs1 billion, covering fuel, food, and accommodations for the deployed forces. Additionally, the Punjab Police distributed 60,000 tear gas shells to districts for crowd control. Ahead of the events, an emergency procurement of more shells was made at a cost of Rs400 million.
Protesters caused extensive damage by setting fire to and vandalizing police vehicles, destroying anti-riot kits, and helmets, and stealing weapons. These acts added to the financial strain on the police department.
