Smart surveillance

Sindh has had a longstanding crime problem with high rates of thievery, kidnapping for ransom and murders. Poor surveillance and a lack of cohesion among police departments have allowed criminals to relocate and operate from different parts of the province. In a bid to curb crime, the provincial government has decided to install automatic numberplate recognition cameras (ANPR) at the entry and exit points of toll plazas across the province.

The surveillance cameras will take pictures of number plates and passengers in the front seats, which will be used to identify vehicles and the passengers’ identities. ANPR cameras can also help with overall traffic management on the motorways as hit-and-run accidents and overspeeding are a major concern on most highways in the province. The relevant authorities need to ensure that the cameras are speedily installed and are operating at all times otherwise the initiative will bear little fruit. Alongside this, toll plaza officials and traffic police on highways need to be instructed to avoid accepting bribes from traffic violators and suspicious vehicles.

The surge in crimes and a lack of accountability have raised distrust of the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) among Sindh’s residents. Consequently, people either take the law into their own hands or avoid reporting crimes altogether. This has also emboldened criminals who not only continue committing heinous crimes but often turn their areas of residence into no-go areas for the police. Therefore, the provincial government and LEAs must ensure that the initiative is effectively implemented to deter criminal elements and restore public trust.

The provincial cabinet also discussed placing a cap on cash rewards for cases where head money for criminals has to be paid. The proposal aimed to cover policy gaps. The Sindh government and LEAs must rally all their efforts to make sure that policies and measures are strictly implemented to tackle the worsening law and order situation in the province.