In a baffling and troubling development, surveillance equipment deployed under the Punjab Safe City Project in Rawalpindi has been stolen, highlighting alarming security gaps in the very systems meant to safeguard the city.
Earlier today, authorities confirmed that unidentified suspects stole two surveillance cameras, memory cards, and a UPS unit installed near Sheikh Rashid Bridge in Pirwadhai. The missing cameras, labeled GS2 and GS3, along with the power backup system, are estimated to be worth around Rs260,000, including Rs90,000 for the UPS alone.
The incident was officially reported by a project employee, Talha Afzal, prompting a case to be registered at Pirwadhai Police Station. Local law enforcement is now investigating how the theft occurred in broad daylight despite the presence of high-tech surveillance infrastructure.
Under the Safe City initiative, Rawalpindi has seen the installation of nearly 1,700 to 2,097 high-resolution CCTV cameras across more than 300 strategic locations, allowing for comprehensive real-time monitoring of markets, traffic junctions, public spaces, and government zones. Cameras like the stolen GS2 and GS3 units are part of this broader mesh of urban security infrastructure, linked to central command centers designed to bolster public safety.
Last year, similar equipment thefts, including cameras and cabinets, were reported in Islamabad, raising concerns about vulnerabilities in what were envisioned as the country’s most advanced surveillance systems. That incident exposed the stark reality that despite surveillance, continuous monitoring of all camera feeds remains practically elusive.
In light of this, public trust in Safe City systems may erode further unless robust measures such as enhanced physical security, rapid detection alerts, and fortification of infrastructure are swiftly enacted.