Pakistan’s National Centre of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) at University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar is pioneering AI-based disaster management and urban security systems. Since its founding in 2018 under the Higher Education Commission and Planning Commission, NCAI has rapidly matured into a national innovation hub.
NCAI for Early Disaster Warnings
NCAI has developed advanced early warning systems for natural catastrophes (floods, earthquakes, and landslides) using predictive AI models trained on environmental data. Although the algorithms are ready, full deployment is underway, coordinated with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
NCAI-Powered Safe City Surveillance
In response to regional security concerns, NCAI is also spearheading a Safe City program. The surveillance system integrates facial recognition, behavioral analysis, and threat detection, including weapons and hostile intent assessment.
All of it is possible with the help of expressive cues from facial expressions. This modular AI platform is being tailored for urban monitoring and border security challenges in Peshawar and the surrounding region.
Leading AI Innovation from Pakistan
Beyond applied use, NCAI is contributing to foundational research. The centre has produced over ten novel algorithms and published 100+ research papers. Moreover, it has filed six national patents, and organized multiple AI-focused workshops across Pakistan and abroad.
National Reach and Smart City Expansion
As part of Pakistan’s broader AI strategy, NCAI is one node in a 9-lab consortium spanning six major universities including NUST, UET Peshawar, NED UET Karachi, COMSATS, and Punjab University.
Meanwhile, Islamabad is set to receive 3,200 new AI-powered surveillance cameras for its Safe City network with AI-enabled facial recognition and vehicle monitoring installed across the capital, reinforcing patterns first introduced in Quetta and Lahore.