[Reader-list] Karachi: 100 spots identified for installation of surveillance cameras

[Harsh Kapoor]

The News International (Pakistan)
October 17, 2002

100 spots identified for installation of surveillance cameras

KARACHI: The police department has identified 100 spots in the city 
for installation of surveillance cameras, however initially five or 
six sensitive areas including airport will be given priority to 
combat crimes.

The department has invited tenders for purchase of cameras and other 
electronic gadgets till October 21. The installation work of such 
cameras in sensitive areas will be completed in two months, said 
Inspector General of Police Syed Kamal Shah while briefing newsmen at 
Hotel Sheraton on Wednesday.

The police department had set aside sufficient funds for purchasing 
cameras in addition to making provision of three per cent of the 
amount released through fines on traffic violations, he said. Cameras 
to be installed at hotels and other commercial buildings can cover an 
area in the radius of 1.5 kilometres, which would also help 
controlling traffic violations, he added.

He dispelled the impression that police had got funds from any 
foreign agency and said all these developments were being done with 
local resources. However, he said local private sector was being 
persuaded to share the responsibility like Hotel Sheraton and 
Pakistan Hotels Association.

The IGP said that two electronic gates, fitted with surveillance 
cameras and x-ray machines would also be erected at highways to 
control traffic violations besides detect smuggling of weapons and 
other prohibited items which often were transported to the city in 
the cover of fruits and vegetables in trucks. These trucks would have 
to pass through these electronic gates, he said adding that the 
system would start working with in few weeks, he added.

Chairman Pakistan Hotel Association Syed Arshad Ali said that the 
hotel management had installed 14 cameras recently and would install 
two more cameras including one that could cover the dark areas. The 
demonstration of surveillance cameras installed at hotel was held.