Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar visits Huawei HQ to discuss new tech integration

Sindh government to extend Safe City project, including Sukkur, Larkana, and others.

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The Sindh government has announced an extension of its Safe City project, with plans to include additional cities in the programme.

The announcement was made following a visit by Sindh’s Minister for Interior, Law, and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, to the Huawei headquarters in Shenzhen, China, Express News reported.

During the visit, government officials were briefed on the integration of body-worn cameras, smart devices, smartwatches, and tablets with smart boards, aimed at enhancing communication and response times in law enforcement operations.

Lanjar’s visit also focused on the importance of a separate LTE network for Sindh Police, which is expected to improve their operational efficiency.

"The goal is to enhance police operations through smart technology, which will improve the safety and security of our citizens," Lanjar said.

As part of the initiative, the minister announced that the Safe City project will be expanded to include the cities of Sukkur, Larkana, Hyderabad, and Mirpur Khas.

This will increase the coverage of the project, which has already been implemented in Karachi.

The visit also aimed at strengthening the relationship between the Sindh Home Department and Huawei, with the Director General of Safe Cities and Huawei’s Vice President signing an agreement on the progress of the project.

Few months ago, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that the progress made on the Safe City project is a significant step towards ensuring the safety of Karachi. He noted that several key milestones have already been achieved under the project.

The CM made these remarks during a meeting at the Chief Minister's House. The meeting was attended by Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, CM's Secretary Rahim Shaikh, and other relevant officials.

During the session, IG Sindh provided a detailed briefing on the project’s progress, stating that 1,300 surveillance cameras will be installed across various locations in Karachi.

The survey for 300 pole sites and 18 other key areas has been completed, and excavation work for 200 poles has begun with 50 poles already installed. Work on the remaining poles is ongoing.

The CM was informed that a control room and data centre have been established at the Central Police Office (CPO), where a video wall has been set up to monitor seven locations via 35 cameras.

The equipment, including cameras, monitoring devices, and optical fiber, has been procured from Huawei and other companies and safely transferred to secure locations in Karachi. Additionally, five specialised vehicles have been prepared for the project.

In response to a query, the CM was informed that surveys and renovation work have been completed to establish Point of Presence (POP) sites at 18 police stations.

The headquarters of the Safe City Authority is being established on Shahrah-e-Faisal, with the land acquired and handed over to the National Radio Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC).

Currently, 35 police cameras are operational, with more installations underway. Shah highlighted that the progress made so far represents a significant step towards improving surveillance and ensuring swift responses to security incidents, contributing to a safer Karachi.