Karachi: (HRNW) Safe city program despite its ‘soft launch’ is still a distant dream for Karachiites, as the traditionally lazy bureaucrats of Sindh are least concerned about bringing modern technology-based changes to the megacity, said Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor here Sunday.
He said that the contract signing ceremony of the Integrated C5ISR-based Safe City Project was launched in the past but then there is a complete silence about this much awaited project. Nobody knows about the timeline of C5ISR- command, control, communication, computer, cyber security, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance – program for the megacity.
He said there is dire need to introduce artificial intelligence in policing and security matters of our urban centers like Karachi. He said modern technology would lessen the burden on police and improve security and safety of citizens. He said the government should learn from the success of China regarding the integration of artificial intelligence in policing and city security matters.
He said the basic point to make Karachi a safe city would be purging the local police from political interference. He said dozens of police officers in Sindh are said to be appointed purely on ‘political basis’, bypassing merits and Sindh Public Service Commission rules.
He regretted that presently the megacity is in the grip of crime and one reason for this is that the city police itself is involved in crimes and robberies. Recently, a DSP Umair Bijari, a blue-eyed political appointee of the previous PPP Sindh government, was arrested red-headed while robbing a house in Orangi Karachi. It is alleged that previous chief minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah was involved in political appointment of this officer, who belongs to Bajari tribe of Janghara-Bajara village Sehwan, the political constituency of Syed Murad Shah.
Altaf Shakoor demanded that the higher forum should probe if this appointment was really made on political grounds and if so the said accused and other police officer recruited in Sindh police directly on political grounds, without SPSC recommendations, should be sacked and those involved in their appointments should be disqualified for any public office in future.
He said with the help of a safe city program we can make Karachi a modern livable city. He said the issues like traffic mess and encroachments could be easily resolved with the help of artificial intelligence and modern surveillance cameras.
He said the lawlessness in Karachi is an issue pertaining to national security as the megacity is the engine of the national economy and crime here would directly affect the national security which is closely linked to the economy.
He said the rangers deputed in Karachi should also develop its own artificial intelligence based security monitoring system to augment the efforts of police and local administration.
He said the Sindh Safe Cities Authority and NRTC should be woken up from their deep slumber to ensure start of practical work on the safe city project in Karachi on fast track basis as the megacity needs a strong system for better law enforcement and emergency response to deter growing criminal activities in the megacity.