Safe city project to start work in June: IGP

Says 20 model police stations, service centres will be established across Balochistan

QUETTA: Balochistan’s top cop has said the command and control system of the Quetta Safe City Project will be made operational by June this year – a project that will significantly improve security situation of the provincial capital.

“Cost of the command and control system is Rs150 million that will fulfill requirements of the Safe City Project. Through this system, sensitive locations in Quetta will be monitored by 400 latest cameras,” Balochistan Inspector General Police (IGP) Moshin Hasan Butt said on Friday.

He was briefing journalists at the IGP Office in Quetta. The IGP said Pakistan’s first and largest video-wall is going to be installed at the command and control room.

“Emergency movement of civil and defence officials, law and order situation and security arrangements for national and religious events will also be monitored through that video-wall,” he added.

Butt said the Balochistan Police Information Technology Group has been formed with the help of Punjab Police and IT Board. He said 700 computer operators will work at the command and control room.

The IGP said record of police department employers, criminals, expenses, FIRs and police stations will be digitalized through Balochistan Police Computerised System and Criminal Record Management System.

“Human resource system and complaint management system is also being developed according to the latest technology. Memorandum of understanding will also be signed with Punjab IT Board, Punjab and Sindh police departments to further boost the Balochistan Police information system.”

Butt said the first police desk at shopping malls, hospitals, model and women police stations are also being established at civil line police station.

“Twenty model police stations and police service centres will also be established at different districts of Balochistan so that the masses can get justice at their doorsteps,” he said.

At the ceremony, the IGP distributed keys of latest vehicles among different police stations of Quetta, Makran, Zhob, Khuzdar, Naseerbad, Loralai, Sibbi, Kalat, Gwadar and special and crime branches.

He also distributed mobile body cameras to the traffic and patrolling police officers. The body cameras will be connected with control room and live video and audio monitoring will be possible through them.

He said 128 latest vehicles and 459 motorbikes have been provided to the Balochistan Police and Levies during the last two years, 20 more latest vehicle will be available very soon. All these vehicles will be provided to 133 newly established police stations at different districts of Balochistan.

“Balochistan is a big province where the police and levies force need more vehicles so that the law and order situation can be maintain,” he said. The IGP said problems of the Balochistan Police are being resolved on priority bases.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2020.