KARACHI: The first phase of the Karachi Safe City Project is set to be formally launched within two months, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah announced on Thursday, as trial operations of the surveillance system are already underway.
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Speaking at a meeting at the Chief Minister House, Shah said that the project, with a revised budget of Rs200 million, aims to enhance public safety through real-time monitoring of critical areas. The first phase will cover the high-security “Red Zone” and the airport corridor, with cameras transmitting live footage to the Central Police Office (CPO) Command and Control Centre. Subsequent phases will extend to South, East, Korangi, and Malir districts.
Sindh CM @MuradAliShahPPP chaired a meeting of Safe Cities Authority.
Phase-I of Karachi Safe City Project will be operational within two months. Project includes 1,300 cameras, fully functional facial & number plate recognition systems & revised budget of Rs200 million. pic.twitter.com/WwxzIRWmcR— Sindh Chief Minister House (@SindhCMHouse) January 22, 2026
The CM directed the Sindh Safe City Authority (SSCA) to recruit expert technical and administrative staff to ensure the project becomes fully operational. The first phase includes 1,300 cameras across 300 pole sites, 18 Points of Presence (PoP), and 23 Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs). The Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system is currently being refined to enable live demonstrations of Facial Recognition (FR) and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) within two weeks.
Shah emphasized the project’s transition from construction to active law enforcement, approving temporary contractual appointments for 34 specialists to prevent operational delays. He also instructed preparations for Safe City projects in Hyderabad and Sukkur, as well as smart camera installations at provincial entry and exit points.
The chief minister noted that surveys and technical assessments for these projects have been completed by the National Radio & Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC), and stressed that “the safety of Karachi is non-negotiable.”
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The Safe City initiative complements the city’s existing Traffic Regulation and Citation System (TRACS) or e-challan system, signaling a major step toward transforming Karachi into a technology-driven metropolis.