Karachi has officially launched the first phase of its Safe City Project, which includes five poles equipped with 25 surveillance cameras.
Asif Ijaz Sheikh, Director General of the Sindh Safe Cities Authority, stated that the initiative aims to improve security through live monitoring at key locations around the city. Currently, 43 poles have been installed, and the cameras are transmitting live footage to the Central Police Office (CPO) Command and Control Centre. The CPO’s S4 Control Room will display real-time video to assist local law enforcement in reducing crime and enhancing public safety.
This initial phase marks a significant step forward in the city’s security efforts. Once fully operational, the project will expand to incorporate more cameras and advanced monitoring technologies throughout Karachi.
Earlier this year, Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar announced the Karachi Safe City (KSC) project, aimed at making the city one of the safest in Pakistan. Valued at over Rs3 billion, the project will be implemented in two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed within 12 months. Lanjar emphasized that the initiative seeks to lower crime rates and eliminate criminal elements.
He also noted that the second phase would broaden the project’s scope to other cities in Sindh after successful implementation in Karachi. The Home Minister expressed confidence in the police’s performance, acknowledging significant improvements compared to the past, and stated that the project could potentially cut crime in the port city by 50% once fully operational.
The KSC project is larger and more modern than the Safe City projects in Islamabad and Lahore. It took nearly eight years for the Sindh government to approve it, with Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah greenlighting around Rs5.6 billion in February to initiate the first phase in the red zone and airport corridor. This phase involves a collaboration between the Sindh Police and the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) under the Ministry of Defence Production.
An agreement for the project was signed by SSCA Director General Asif Aijaz Shaikh and NRTC Managing Director Brigadier Asim Ishaque. The initiative is divided into five independent phases, aiming to install 12,000 cameras across 2,400 locations, creating a comprehensive surveillance network that will generate significant data to enhance law enforcement efficiency.
The project will also integrate digital forensics to support investigations and establish a robust crime prevention system. It will utilize facial recognition (FR) and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technologies for identifying individuals and vehicles, traffic management to reduce congestion, and digital surveillance for predictive policing.
Initially, the Sindh Safe Cities Authority (SSCA) will operate with about 1,000 staff, 110 vehicles, 200 motorbikes, and six drones. A 5,000-square-yard plot has been allocated for the SSCA complex on Sharea Faisal near Saddar police station, where a nine-story building with two basement levels is planned for construction within two years. The complex will also feature the country’s largest screen, measuring 50 by 80 feet, on the second, third, and fourth floors.
