After a 17-year delay, AI surveillance network goes live; The expansion to three districts is announced.
Secure urban cameras will soon be installed that will be able to easily read the new license plates. photo: express
PESHAWAR:
After a delay of 17 years, the long-awaited Safe City Project was formally inaugurated in Peshawar, ushering in a new era of technology-driven law enforcement in the provincial capital.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed, who described the milestone as a significant achievement for public safety and modern policing in the province.
In its initial phase, the project has installed approximately 700 to 750 state-of-the-art surveillance cameras in 130 key locations in the city. Special monitoring systems have been activated at entry and exit points, while vehicle tracking, issuance of e-challan for traffic violations and cameras equipped with artificial intelligence have been integrated into the network. These features are expected to enable rapid detection of traffic violations and criminal activities.
A modern control room has been established at Police Lines Peshawar, which operates 24/7 to monitor real-time surveillance of the entire city.
The Chief Minister described the formal launch of the Safe City project in Peshawar as a day of immense joy and pride, fulfilling the vision of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Chief Minister announced that the Safe Cities initiatives in Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Dera Ismail Khan would be completed in the next 40-45 days.
This expansion aims to strengthen security systems in sensitive districts of the province.
He acknowledged that security conditions remain unsatisfactory in many areas and described a recent tragic incident in Balochistan as deeply regrettable. Paying tribute to the KP Police for foiling a major terrorist attack, he praised their frontline role in protecting the public despite difficult circumstances.
The Prime Minister revealed that his conversations with federal representatives focused on a single agenda: prioritizing state and political interests to avoid a deterioration of the situation. He proposed sending a delegation comprising representatives of the KP government, tribal elders and federal authorities to Afghanistan for direct talks to resolve the outstanding issues.
