Virtual centre rescues 80k kids
The Punjab Safe City Authority's (PSCA) Mera Pyara Virtual Centre for Child Safety has won the top honour in the e-government category at the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Prizes.
The award was announced at the WSIS Forum 2026 in Geneva, organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). PSCA Chief Operating Officer Mustansar Feroz received the award.
According to the PSCA, the Mera Pyara Virtual Centre was selected as the Global Champion in the e-government category after competing with digital governance projects from around the world.
The authority's Virtual Women Police Station was recognised among the leading digital public service initiatives at the forum.
The Mera Pyara digital platform is designed to strengthen child protection and assist in tracing and reuniting missing children with their families. The system also facilitates efforts to locate missing senior citizens and persons with disabilities through the use of digital technologies and institutional coordination.
According to figures released by the PSCA, the platform has handled more than 158,000 cases since its launch. Efforts through the system have led to the registration of 28,458 first information reports (FIRs), while more than 80,000 missing children have been reunited with their families.
Officials said the platform integrates artificial intelligence, digital data management and coordination among government institutions to improve response times and strengthen child protection mechanisms.
The prizes promote the use of information and communication technologies in advancing sustainable development and improving public services. Each year, governments, public institutions, academic organisations and private sector entities submit projects for evaluation in categories covering digital governance, education, healthcare, cybersecurity and innovation.
The Virtual Women Police Station provides online access to police services, complaints registration and guidance without requiring them to visit police stations.