Exact data of ICT residents: ‘Secure Neighbourhood Survey’ in ICT soon: Talal

ISLAMABAD: In a bid to enhance the surveillance and apprehension of criminals, the district administration and police are going to conduct a ‘Secure Neighbourhood Survey’ for the collection of exact data of residents of the federal capital, said State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Thursday.

Flanked by Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, Talal told a news conference that the Secure Neighbourhood Survey, the first of its kind, is designed to enhance public safety and ensure a more secure Islamabad.

He said the survey will enable the police and administration to know about individuals living in both rented and self-owned houses in the various sectors of the capital city. “Maintaining a comprehensive database of residents and temporary occupants is not only important from a security point of view, but also necessary for future planning of the city as well as the provision of basic amenities,” the minister said.

The minister said “it will be mandatory for all motorcycles and cars in Islamabad to have an e-tag. Every single movement in Islamabad will be monitored.”

“No vehicle will be allowed entry into the federal capital without an E-tag. This will help authorities monitor every vehicle’s movement and strengthen the city’s security mechanism,” the minister added.

He said the Safe City project currently covers 35 percent of Islamabad. “Its capacity will be increased to 97 percent within a year. The government is going to convert the Safe City project to the Smart City project,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Memon explained that the survey has two components: an online application for residents to enter their information and an on-ground team to visit homes. Residents will also need to provide details about domestic staff. On-ground data collection is set to begin on November 17.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025