Safe City Project to transform Karachi into a secure metropolis: CM

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah stated that the Safe City Project is designed to transform Karachi into a secure, technology-driven metropolis through comprehensive video surveillance and also noted that operations in the Katcha area have resulted in the surrender of 71 dacoits.

He said this while addressing the 52nd specialised delegation of 47 Initial Command Course participants, headed by Deputy Commandant (NPA) Sarfraz Ahmed Falki, PSP, who called on him at CM House.

Murad Shah outlined the government’s commitment to transforming Sindh Police into a modern force powered by technology. He highlighted the department’s vast scale, with 131,850 personnel serving across 31 districts, eight zones/ ranges, and 618 police stations, backed by an annual budget of Rs 189.7 billion.

He noted that the Sindh Police, established in 1843 by Sir Charles Napier on the model of the Royal Irish Constabulary, is the oldest police force in the subcontinent and the second largest in Pakistan.

The chief minister said that the flagship Safe City Project aims to make Karachi a secure, tech-driven metropolis through comprehensive video surveillance and data analysis. It uses a large network of high-resolution CCTV cameras with Facial Recognition (FR) and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).

All footage is monitored in real time at the Command, Control, and Communication Centre (C4) at Central Police Office.

According to Shah, Phase-I covers the high-security red zone and airport corridor, while Phase-II will soon expand to Districts South, East, and Malir, with thousands more cameras and Intelligent Traffic System (ITS) cameras for e-Challan enforcement.

The S4 Project (Smart/Safe Surveillance, Security, and Strategic Support) will be integrated with the Safe City platform to further enhance police operations. The automation of police station systems will digitise processes such as FIRs and case files to boost transparency and public efficiency.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025