Punjab Chief Minister(CM),Maryam Nawaz Sharif had said that the establishment of the Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Center (PIFTAC) and the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub would significantly strengthen the province’s ability to anticipate threats,improve coordination among security agencies and ensure timely response to emerging challenges.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of PIFTAC and the e-launch of the AI Hub Punjab here on Saturday,she said Punjab had become the first province in Pakistan to establish an Artificial Intelligence Hub.
The CM said the concept of artificial intelligence had been transformed into a practical reality within a few months, describing the establishment of the AI Hub in record time as a major achievement.
She appreciated the cooperation of the Pakistan Army and thanked Lahore Corps Commander Lieutenant General Fayyaz Hussain Shah for his support. She also congratulated Home Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, Home Secretary Ahmad Javed Qazi and other officers for establishing the AI Hub in a short period.
She said the police, Special Branch and other law-enforcement agencies also deserved appreciation for working as “one unit” to protect citizens and maintain law and order.
CM Maryam Nawaz said Punjab had demonstrated its capacity to respond promptly to difficult situations, including the challenges caused by heavy rains.
Despite shortcomings in sewerage and drainage systems,she said, rainwater was now being drained promptly. However,she noted that complete rehabilitation and restoration of sewerage and drainage systems across the province would require massive resources. She said the AI-enabled system would help issue digital alerts to district coordination committees,enabling authorities to identify and address potential problems before they developed into major incidents. The CM said law and order remained as important as development projects, stressing that roads and other infrastructure would have little meaning if citizens remained vulnerable to theft, violence or loss of property.
She said crime had declined by up to 70 per cent in Punjab, adding that the provincial government had adopted a proactive approach to prevent crimes rather than merely responding after incidents occurred. Referring to law enforcement, CM Maryam Nawaz said the government had taken difficult decisions to protect citizens and had strengthened joint check posts in vulnerable areas with bulletproof thermal and night-vision cameras.
She said security personnel previously faced attacks in which dozens lost their lives, while terrorists sometimes possessed better weapons and night-vision equipment than police personnel.
She said the situation in the riverine areas had also improved significantly with the writ of the state now established and criminal activity brought under control.
