Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sana Ullah Khan on Saturday said that the government has decided to ensure 100 percent coverage of CCTV cameras of Islamabad Safe City Project during the current fiscal year.

Addressing a press conference here, the minister said Safe City Project was need of hour to ensure effective security, prevent crime and effectively maintain law and order in any city of the country including Islamabad.

Currently, only 30 per cent cameras of Safe City Project were providing coverage adding that the Prime Minister has decided to enhance its coverage to 100 percent during the current fiscal year. Instantly, a sum of Rs 40 million has been released to the Safe City Authority to install cameras at all important places, he said.

The minister said IG Islamabad and DG Safe City Authority have been directed to prepare feasibility for 100 percent coverage. Within a week, after completion of the feasibility, funds would be released for the project, he added.

He said the government was also going to set up 100 bed hospitals for Islamabad police which would be completed with an estimated amount of Rs 5 billion. The PM would lay foundation of the hospital this month for which an amount of Rs 300 million has already been released, he said. He said all efforts would be made to complete the project during the current fiscal year.

He said he was grateful to the PM, ministers for Planning and Development, and Finance for allocating huge amount to the said project. The minister said the government has also fulfilled the longstanding demand of Islamabad police and their salaries and other perks and privileges have been made at part with the Punjab police which has financial implication of Rs 738 million.

Similarly, demand of FC has also been accepted and their salaries and ration allowance having financial impact of Rs 1.5 billion have been made at part with ‘Jawans’ of other security forces.

He said earlier FC has no anti-riot gadgets and now funds have been provided to equip the force with proper gadgets besides anti-riot training to its 2000 personnel. It needed around Rs 667 million which had already been arranged, he added. Sana Ullah appreciated the police team and officials of other intelligence agencies for killing a notorious terrorist Bilal involved in heinous crimes including assassination of DC Nauman Ahsan and other innocent citizens.

He said he has given commendation certificates and cash prizes to the raiding team which killed the terrorist. The minister said that he has also asked the IG to revive medals awarding program discontinued in 2018 so such valiant officials could be encouraged.

Responding to a question, the minister said the CCTV coverage would also help end traditional police ‘Thana Culture’. No one would be allowed for torture in the police stations nor it would be tolerated, he added.

To another question, he said the PM was ready for political and economic consensus and all other political parties were ready for that except one party led by Imran Khan. Shehbaz Sharif being an opposition leader and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had offered the then prime minister at floor of house that they were ready for charter of economy.

But unfortunately, the then-premier resorted to non-parliamentary language besides threatening them to dire consequences, he said. The minister recalled how, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif invited all political leadership including Imran Khan to PM House for devising joint consensus after Army Public School Peshawar attack in 2014.

Regarding dialogue with TTP, the minister said it would be under the ambit of constitution adding that the parliamentary committee of the parliament has permitted the military leadership in this regard.