Punjab Bans Unauthorized Flags, Police Escorts

Punjab has ordered immediate action against the unauthorized use of official flags on vehicles and permanent police escorts, raising a simple but important question for many drivers and government users: who is actually allowed to use these protocol privileges?

Who Can Display Official Flags on Vehicles?

According to a source report at the move was ordered after directions from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. The notification says no one may place a flagstaff or display an official flag on a vehicle unless they are legally entitled to do so. For background, read our earlier coverage: Punjab Police Seeks Rs238.6M for Bulletproof Vehicles to Protect Judges.

That means an official-looking flag on a car is not just a matter of style or rank. If the person using it does not have the legal right, the vehicle should not carry it. The available notification does not give a full public list of every officeholder who may use such flags, so people should not assume entitlement based only on title, vehicle type, or personal influence.

Permanent Police Escorts Require Valid Approval

The same order also targets permanent police escorts. According to the source report, these escorts are now prohibited for provincial cabinet members, advisers, special assistants, parliamentary secretaries, standing committee chairpersons, MPAs, government officers, and private individuals unless valid approval exists.

The Provincial Police Officer, also serving as Inspector General of Police, Punjab, has been told to review current deployments. Any escort operating without valid approval is to be withdrawn.

What the Order Means for Motorists

For ordinary motorists, this is mostly a protocol issue, not a change in traffic or registration law. The order does not change car ownership rules, number plate rules, or general road use. But it does send a clear message: a vehicle does not get official privilege just because it belongs to a government worker or public figure.

The reader impact is practical. If a car has an official flag or police escort, that should not be taken as proof that the arrangement is lawful. Drivers and officials should check whether written approval exists before relying on any protocol setup.

Government Offices and Officials Should Verify Approval

Government offices and people affected by the order should now verify their records and remove anything that is not backed by legal entitlement. If approval is missing, the escort or flag arrangement may not continue.

This also fits with Punjab’s wider push to tighten control over government vehicle use. A related DrivePK report on the province’s vehicle policy changes can be read here: Punjab Motor Transport Policy 2026: New Rules for Government Vehicles

For readers, the takeaway is clear: official symbols and police escorts are not for casual use. They require legal entitlement, and Punjab has now ordered action against those using them without it.

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