Shahbaz inaugurates 'Punjab Safe City Project'

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated Punjab Safe City Project, a unique project of its kind in Pakistan and the biggest project in Asia, at Qurban Lines, here Tuesday. After inaugurating Integrated Command, Control and Communication Center of Punjab Safe Cities Authority, Punjab Chief Minister said that first phase of Safe City Project has completed in a record period of time.
He said Punjab government started Safe City Project for providing a crime-free and peaceful atmosphere to the citizens and an amount of Rs 120 million is being spent for this purpose. He said a huge screen has been installed in Command & Control Center under this project which is the biggest screen of Asia. He said Punjab government is working on Safe City Project with the collaboration of a leading Chinese company Huawei and it is the first project of its kind in Pakistan. Shahbaz Sharif hoped that the Chinese company would operate this project as an example of hard work, honesty and transparency.
He said Punjab is the first province where this kind of project has been inaugurated whereas federal government started Safe City Project in Islamabad six years ago which has now been completed. He said that Safe City Project of Punjab government is four times bigger than Islamabad project. Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan increased the number of cameras of Islamabad Safe City Project from 1500 to 2000 whereas eight thousand cameras are being installed in Lahore under Punjab Safe City Project.
He said that Huawei made the lowest bid of Rs 16 billion for Safe City Project of Punjab, however, this amount was brought down to Rs 12 billion and a saving of four billion rupees was made. Contrary to this, he said, Islamabad Safe City Project is four times smaller and its agreement was signed for Rs 12 billion six years ago. He said those levelling allegations of corruption should also remember transparency in this project and the saving of Rs four billion of national resources. Shahbaz Sharif said that a prominent international institution like World Economic Forum has acknowledged examples of transparency set by federal and Punjab governments, under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.
He said that political and administrative team of Punjab government is highly efficient and the saving of Rs 4 billion in Safe City Project is a proof of this fact. He said recruitments for Safe City Project have been made purely on merit and best training has been imparted. He said youth recruited for the project are witness to the fact that they have been selected on merit and it is hoped that they will spare no effort for the success of this project. He said monitoring of different areas is being carried out on the screens set up at Command & Control Center and a vigilant eye will be kept on criminal elements.
He said in case of any incident of crime, an alarm would ring which will alert the concerned institution. He said due to this step of Punjab government, Pakistan would become a safe, peaceful and prosperous country. Shahbaz Sharif said that brave armed forces of Pakistan, police and the people of all segments of society have rendered supreme sacrifices in war against terrorism and extremism and this project will play an important role in dealing with this problem.
The Chief Minister announced that Safe City Project will also be started in six other cities of Punjab including Multan, Bahawalpur, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Sargodha and will be completed by the end of 2017. He said that first phase of Punjab Safe City Project has been completed in Lahore while its other phases will be completed by the middle of next year, which will help in surveillance of the entire city with modern technology. He said with implementation of Safe City Project in seven cities, Punjab would emerge as a safe, prosperous and peaceful province.
Shahbaz Sharif said that Chinese Consul General Yu Boren has extended commendable cooperation and the Chinese company has completed the first phase of the project in a professional manner. He said this project is also linked with CPEC on which work is being carried out expeditiously in all the four provinces.
He said World Bank and IMF have commended Pakistan government with regard to completion of infrastructure, energy, transport and CPEC projects which is the best certificate Pakistan can get. He said it is also a lesson for those who think and speak against public welfare and development projects for the people and try to create hurdles in such projects. However, he said, the nation would not allow their efforts to succeed.
The Chief Minister said that more projects under CPEC are being set up in Sindh than Punjab and it is a matter of satisfaction that work is continuing on these projects in Sindh as well. He said that Orange Line Metro Train project has also been started with the funding of China and these funds are to be repaid by the Punjab government to China. Therefore, there is need to hold the interests of Pakistan uppermost. He further said Safe City Project is of vital importance for curbing extremism, terrorism, crime and the activities of anti-social elements, therefore, there is a need to make every effort for its success.
Shahbaz Sharif thanked Chinese Consul General Yu Boren, Chief Executive Officer Huawei Pakistan, Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, Members of Cabinet Committee on Law and Order, Chief Secretary, Inspector General Police, Chairman Planning & Development, Secretary Home, MD Punjab Safe City Authority, Chief Operating Officer Punjab Safe City Authority and officials concerned for completion of the first phase of the project.
Chief Operating Officer Punjab Safe City Authority Nisar Akbar while addressing the function said that dream of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has been realised. Chinese Consul General Yu Boren said that due to personal efforts taken by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the project has been implemented expeditiously and it is a milestone in Pak-China friendship. He said that work is being carried out with speed and quality over CPEC project in Punjab as well as the whole country and implementation of Punjab Safe City Project will provide a safe and peaceful environment to the masses.
Chief Executive officer Huawei Company said that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is extending full support for this project due to which its first phase has been completed. He said screen set up at Command & Control Center is the largest of its kind in the world. He said that first phase of project has been completed in a record period. Inspector General Police Mushtaq Sukhera said that demands of security have changed with the passage of time, therefore, Punjab police is being equipped with modern technology.
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister inaugurated most modern Integrated Command, Control and Communication Center of Punjab Safe City Authority. Chinese Consul General Yu Boren, Provincial Ministers Rana Sanaullah, Bilal Yasin, Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Assembly Members, Chief Secretary and officers concerned were present on the occasion.