THE Federal Government has announced the launch of the “Safe Secure Islamabad” initiative to ramp up the security of the federal capital. The announcement about the new initiative was made by Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry during his media talks outside Parliament House alongside Islamabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Irfan Nawaz Memon and Inspector General of Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi. In the next stage, it will be declared mandatory for all vehicles in the city to have electronic tags.
The Federal Capital is facing serious security threats as highlighted by a suicide bombing in G-11 sector resulting in martyrdom of twelve people and injuries to many others. The new measures will help improve the security environment as these will enable the law enforcing agencies to have access to data about who lives in the capital and entry/exit of vehicles. The survey would allow the administration to know who was occupying which house, shop or office in the capital with information about the number of people, their age, their nationality, whether the place was rented or self-owned and more. Providing more details on the survey, DC Memon said an application was launched by the name of “ICT Household Survey” and anyone living in Islamabad could download it and add details of their residence, residents, servants and ownership status therein. Similarly, e-tags will make it theoretically possible to monitor every movement of any vehicle. However, the authorities need to ensure that these measures are implemented as envisaged and do not add to the difficulties or harassment of citizens. There are also questions about capacity of the police force to make proper use of the data of who is living in the capital and movement of vehicles as the project of ‘safe city’ has miserably failed to check car-lifting, traffic violations and other criminal activities. Security of Islamabad and Rawalpindi is inseparable and hopefully effective coordination will be maintained between the administrations of the twin cities to check criminal activities and movement of suspicious elements. It is also a fact that no system or arrangement can deliver until and unless it is owned and participated by the people and therefore, it is their responsibility to contribute their share in strengthening security and foiling designs of anti-state elements.
