MINGORA: The people have complained most of the closed-circuit television cameras installed in Mingora Bazaar are out of order threatening the life of visitors.

The cameras were installed in the bazaar two years ago in light of the high incidence of targeted killings and the area’s vulnerability to terrorist attacks.

However, the people claim most of these cameras are not working. They say Mingora is a sensitive area and therefore, the non-functioning of CCTV cameras render it highly vulnerable. Social activist Ghafoor Khan Adil said inoperativeness of CCTV cameras was a big concern for the visitors to the bazaar.

He said the protection of the people’s life was the government’s responsibility and therefore, adequate steps should be taken to ensure that the visitors feel secure at public places and others do business and other work fearlessly.

Swat Traders Federation president Abdur Rahim Khan said the CCTV cameras were installed in Mingora Bazaar as part of efforts to maintain law and order but as they didn’t work any longer, the life of visitors was at risk.

Claiming the cameras are of very low quality, he demanded inquiry against their supplier.

The trader leader asked shopkeepers to install CCTV cameras inside and outside their shops to keep a close eye on the people’s movement.

A monitoring centre for the CCTV camera system was installed at the Mingora police station.

The police say work is underway to make the system functional. “Technical experts are working on the system, which will be completely functional soon,” Mingora police station SHO Mohammad Amjad told Dawn.

Swat district police officer Ijaz Khan said the installation of CCTV cameras was necessary due to the area’s ‘sensitive past’.

He said CCTV cameras played maintain law and order, especially by helping in investigation into terrorist or criminal activities. The DPO said CCTV cameras should be installed at Swat’s key places as a security check.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2017