In a shocking incident, Karachi’s Safe City surveillance system suffered a major setback after thieves stole a key distribution box in the city’s Clifton area, forcing e-challan cameras offline. The box, which controlled several surveillance and traffic monitoring cameras, was part of the city’s multi-million-rupee Safe City Project aimed at improving urban security and road safety.
Following the theft, the connected cameras were immediately deactivated to prevent further technical damage or loss of equipment. Director General Safe City Project Karachi, Asif Ijaz Sheikh, confirmed that the stolen distribution box contained expensive components essential for camera operations, causing an abrupt halt to the system’s monitoring capabilities.
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Moreover, officials removed the cameras from poles and stored them safely after the incident, ensuring no additional property loss occurred. The DG highlighted that the theft not only disrupted real-time surveillance but also affected the e-challan system used to monitor and penalize traffic violations across the area.
Asif Ijaz Sheikh emphasized that the incident exposed serious gaps in the protection of vital city infrastructure. He stated that district police had already been instructed to safeguard such installations, and several meetings were held with zonal DIGs to tighten on-ground security.
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This theft has raised serious concerns about Karachi’s security management and the sustainability of the Safe City Project. Authorities are now reviewing security protocols to prevent similar incidents and restore camera functionality swiftly, aiming to ensure uninterrupted surveillance and public safety across the metropolis.