PESHAWAR: Conceived in 2008, the much-delayed Peshawar’s safe city project was finally inaugurated by Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi with advanced AI-powered cameras featuring facial recognition and providing round-the-clock surveillance.

The system, established at a cost of Rs2.23 billion, represents a modern, comprehensive and integrated urban security framework that will play a pivotal role in improving law and order in the provincial capital.

With a total of 711 state-of-the-art surveillance cameras installed at 133 key and sensitive locations in the provincial capital, the project will ensure effective monitoring and enhanced situational awareness across the city.

The safe city project, which operates on artificial intelligence, and advanced video analytics, automatically generates alerts for wanted individuals or suspicious vehicles, providing real time locations to the nearest police officers. The project also features its own autonomous communication and wireless networking system.

CM announces to launch such schemes in all divisional headquarters

“Situation has extremely deteriorated,” chief minister said, adding that such projects would be launched in divisional headquarters and inauguration of those schemes would take place in July.

He inaugurated the project at Peshawar’s police headquarters. He was accompanied by IGP Zulfiqar Hameed, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, lawmakers and senior police and military officials.

The chief minister said that similar projects be launched in Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat districts. He said that the projects would be completed within 45 days.

He said that situation had worsened but police, counter-terrorism department and special branch of police were playing a vital role in preventing major incidents in the province.

“The situation would not have deteriorated if priorities were not changed which, I had communicated to the federal government in last meeting,” Mr Afridi said, adding that he repeated the stance of PTI founder Imran Khan regarding Afghanistan.

He said that he suggested holding a grand jirga, comprising representatives of all the political parties, provincial government and federal government to hold talks with Afghanistan.

“We will protect every inch of the country,” said Mr Afridi. However, he said that some policies needed to be revisited. He added that the nation must be taken into confidence about United States-led board of peace and the war between Iran and Israel.

Meanwhile, a statement, issued from his office, said that command and control centre established under the safe city project would integrate urban surveillance, emergency response and traffic management under a unified and coordinated operational platform.

The system will also be integrated with existing camera networks installed along Bus Rapid Transit corridors, red zone and other sensitive locations. The deployment of smart surveillance vehicles, drones, anti-drone systems and installation of 68 panic buttons across the city will significantly enhance safety of people and enable more effective crime prevention and rapid response mechanisms.

Also, in a statement issued from his office, IGP Zulfiqar Hameed said that in the face of evolving challenges, the war against terrorism could not be won through traditional methods alone but required cutting-edge technology. He vowed to transform police into a tech-savvy force.

He said that police would soon lead in terms of advanced weaponry and technology, noting that the force was rapidly advancing toward that milestone.

“The project is not just a collection of cameras; it marks the beginning of a new, ironclad digital era for law and order in the province,” the statement quoted Mr Hameed as saying.

He stated that the digital network would be expanded to the entire province within two years to ensure that no criminal could escape. He said that the project was a milestone for investigative and operational policing.

He added that police would continue to stand firm in their duty to protect people and maintain peace.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2026