ISLAMABAD: In order to provide foolproof security to hundreds of delegates arriving in Islamabad for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the Islamabad police have chalked up a comprehensive digital surveillance plan to monitor routes and key locations in real-time.

Police officials told Dawn that the route surveillance will focus on Route-I, Route-II and Route-III designed to transport the ‘VVIPs’ and ‘VIPs’ from the airport to their accommodations in hotels and other locations.

These routes are further divided into several patches — each to be monitored with cameras and managed by designated surveillance officers for round-the-clock monitoring.

Surveillance of Route-I will be conducted with 188 cameras, Route-II with 149 cameras, and Route-III with 138 cameras. This includes surveillance of entrance and exit points, surrounding areas, and parking lots.

Surveillance of two venues where the delegates are expected to meet will be conducted with 26 cameras, while the surveillance of nine places of stay out of 14 will be conducted with 115 cameras. Five cameras will be used to monitor the parking lot of the conference venue while 27 cameras installed at pickets will be monitoring the high-security zone.

Safe City Islamabad has 3,150 cameras and 2,910 cameras are functional, police officials told Dawn. They added that 441 cameras were damaged by the miscreants recently during the PTI protests in the capital, causing a loss of Rs154 million to the national kitty.

However, 345 out of 441 cameras were fixed. A majority of these cameras are installed at the routes chalked out for the movement of the VVIPs and VIPs coming to attend the SCO, the officers said.

The control room in the Safe City office will be the central hub for surveillance and command operations. It will manage seven dedicated frequencies covering various aspects of the event, including venue security, traffic management, and operational control.

It will manage the live feeds from route and venue cameras while coordinating with other security units. Additionally, wireless communication points will be established at key venues and arrival/departure points, enabling direct and uninterrupted communication with the control room for real-time updates and rapid response.

Besides the advanced operational control room is also set up. This will handle communications and coordination tasks. It will also manage seven dedicated channels covering various aspects of the event, including venue security, traffic management, and operational control.

Wireless communication points have been established at all venues for efficient and real-time communications.

Outer cordon

Police will set up 20 pickets for the outer cordon. Anti-Riot Force will also be deployed at Chungi No. 26, Islamabad Chowk, G-11 Signal, Project Mor, Khyber Chowk, and Peshawar Mor to ensure law and order.

A vehicle equipped with 1,000 teargas shells and 10 guns will also be on standby at Aabpara, Khanna, and Secretariat police stations along with Islamabad Chowk and Rescue 15. Armed Personnel Carriers will be deployed at the Aabpara and Khanna police stations, Serena Hotel, and Islamabad Chowk.

Similarly, three pickets, one each at Damn-e-Koh, Monal, and Pir Sohawa, are also being set up in the Margalla Hills, while a pair of Dolphin will patrol the Daman-i-Koh Chowk and Monal areas.

On the other hand, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) in Rawalpindi imposed a three-day ban on goods vehicles, tractor trolleys and tractors in the district for three days from October 14 to 16 due to the SCO summit in Islamabad.

Aamir Yasin in Rawalpindi also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2024