Safe city program despite its ‘soft launch’ isstill a distant dream for Karachiites, as the traditionally lazybureaucrats of Sindh are least concerned about bringing modern technology-based changes to the megacity, said Pasban Democratic Party(PDP) Chairman AltafShakoor here Sunday.He said that the contract signing ceremony of the Integrated C5ISR-basedSafe City Project was launched in the past but then there is a completesilence about this much awaited project. Nobody knows about the timelineof C5ISR- command, control, communication, computer, cyber security,intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance – program for themegacity.
He said there is dire need to introduce artificial intelligence inpolicing and security matters of our urban centers like Karachi. He saidmodern technology would lessen the burden on police and improve securityand safety of citizens. He said the government should learn from thesuccess of China regarding the integration of artificial intelligence inpolicing and city security matters.He said the basic point to make Karachi a safe city would be purging thelocal police from political interference.
He said dozens of policeofficers in Sindh are said to be appointed purely on ‘political basis’,bypassing merits and Sindh Public Service Commission rules.He regretted that presently the megacity is in the grip of crime and onereason for this is that the city police itself is involved in crimes androbberies. Recently, a DSP UmairBijari, a blue-eyed political appointeeof the previous PPP Sindh government, was arrested red-headed whilerobbing a house in Orangi Karachi.It is alleged that previous chief minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah wasinvolved in political appointment of this officer, who belongs to Bajaritribe of Janghara-Bajara village Sehwan, the political constituency ofSyed Murad Shah.
Altaf Shakoor demanded that the higher forum should probe if thisappointment was really made on political grounds and if so the saidaccused and other police officer recruited in Sindh police directly onpolitical grounds, without SPSC recommendations, should be sacked andthose involved in their appointments should be disqualified for anypublic office in future.He said with the help of a safe city program we can make Karachi amodern livable city.
He said the issues like traffic mess andencroachments could be easily resolved with the help of artificialintelligence and modern surveillance cameras.He said the lawlessness in Karachi is an issue pertaining to nationalsecurity as the megacity is the engine of the national economy and crimehere would directly affect the national security which is closely linkedto the economy.He said the rangers deputed in Karachi should also develop its ownartificial intelligence based security monitoring system to augment theefforts of police and local administration.He said the Sindh Safe Cities Authority and NRTC should be woken up fromtheir deep slumber to ensure start of practical work on the safe cityproject in Karachi on fast track.
