December 05, 2008	Friday	Zilhaj 6, 1429

KARACHI, Dec 4: The city government’s much-vaunted video surveillance system has failed to deliver the crucially required footage to police authorities tasked to investigate the four-day violence that left over 40 people dead and the country’s business capital virtually paralysed.

Senior officials in the city government and the Karachi police offered an almost identical excuse that since the violence occurred mainly in those parts of the city that had no video surveillance, no footage of criminal and terrorist activity was available.

The officials said even the surveillance cameras installed in the strife-hit areas of Sohrab Goth and Nagan Chowrangi on a signal-free corridor failed to capture the incidents of arson, shooting and vandalism during the four-day violence.

“It is not as effective as it should be,” said Waseem Ahmed, the capital city police officer.

“I personally visited the sites and observed that there was a need for much effective and more advanced technology. But this is not a hurdle in investigations as such and we are moving forward depending on our own resources.”

He said the cameras installed in the affected areas could not capture the activities responsible for the sharp breakdown of law and order over four consecutive days and that police investigations relied mainly on conventional methods.

In June 2008, the city district government formally launched operations of its command and control system, which allows surveillance of two signal-free corridors — Sharea Faisal to Site and Surjani Town — with 54 cameras monitoring and recording movements of vehicles and people mainly in the former districts of east and west.

Though the Rs110 million project was initially aimed at monitoring and securing civic infrastructure, including flyovers, bridges and underpasses, it later allowed access to police and other security agencies to help ease traffic congestion, identify criminals and prevent crime.

However, the city nazim concedes that in the recent episodes of arson and firing the system could not reach the “affected pockets” and hardly any footage of the violence that ravaged the city for four days was available. But, at the same time, he believes police cooperation can make the use of such surveillance systems more effective.

“Primarily, the aim of the command and control system is to monitor and protect our infrastructure,” said Karachi Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal.

“With police cooperation, it can be extended to curb street crime and these kinds of activities. But, unfortunately, we have not yet received any response from their side on such an initiative.”

The police authorities, the nazim added, had been resisting the city government’s initiative on unspecified grounds, which ultimately undermined the utility of the command and control system.

However, experts feel certain that the city’s growing vulnerability to violence and riots underlines the need for the installation of an advanced video surveillance system on a permanent basis.

“The way Karachi is spreading, both in terms of area and population, there is a need for a comprehensive video surveillance system,” said Citizens-Police Liaison Committee Chairman Sharfuddin Memon.

“There should be a central command and control system that connects every department concerned, which is pressed into service in these kinds of situations whether it is police, Rangers or the fire brigade.”

He said the police should be responsible for operating such a system and should keep everyone in the loop, which could help in increasing the effectiveness of the system.

“The city can’t afford delay in planning and then execution of such a system, which has emerged as the most effective tool to monitor the law and order situation and investigate criminal cases,” added Mr Memon.