KARACHI: Sindh Cabinet approved Rs1.567 billion for the installation of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras at Toll Plazas and also approved head money at the rate of Rs 500,000 each per murder case and kidnapping for ransom, and Rs 200,000 each for dacoity and police encounter and Rs 10 million maximum amount.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired the meeting attended by provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, and other concerned officers at the CM’s House.

The Sindh Home Department told the cabinet that the government has decided to install ANPR cameras at all the entry and exit points of Toll Plaza all over Sindh.

The project ANPR cameras system envisages the installation of smart surveillance cameras at all entry and exit points of Toll Plazas in Sindh.

The cameras will capture images of the registration number plates of vehicles and front seat passengers. The images captured will be transmitted to the central monitoring control room at Central Police Office in real-time. The cameras will read characters on number plates to identify vehicles and Face Recognition features will identify the passengers.

The cabinet was told that the project would assist to prevent and detect crime by identifying vehicles linked to criminal/illegal activities (stolen/ hit-run accidents). It would also detect and prevent terrorist activities by providing early warning of suspicious vehicles entering the city.

The project would also have the capacity to identify suspects associated with a particular vehicle by using facial recognition features of the technology and tracking their movement.

The chief minister said that the scheme for the installation of the CCTVs at Toll Plazas would cost Rs1.567 billion. “I am ready to arrange funds if the cabinet approved the project,” he said.

Syed Murad Ali Shah said that the Sindh Police believed due to the sensitive nature of the project, it may be executed on a Government to Government (G-2-G) basis through M/S NRTC in order to maintain the integrity and security of the system.

The cabinet approved the project, and the chief minister directed the chief secretary to immediately hire the consultant and within a month award the contract.

Home Secretary Saeed Mangnijo told the cabinet that a committee headed by a DIG Police rank officer consolidated proposals for awards based on the nature of crimes, and the number of FIRs against offenders.

He added that the IG Police reviewed the project and endorsed it and sent it to the home department.

The cabinet was told that once the criminal was arrested or killed, the police department moved note for the claim of the announced reward, and the approved amount is released for disbursement.

The Home secretary said that recently it was identified that while the reward was mentioned in the policy, there was, however, no cap placed on the maximum amount.

He mentioned such was noticed during the recommendations of IG Police for fixation of head/ reward money forwarded by the IG Police which lacked rationalization of the proposed amount vis-a-vis severity of crime and number of FIRs under Cr.P.C.

Quoting an example, the Home Secretary said that a criminal of District Ghotki involved in one murder and one kidnapping case was recommended for head/reward money of Rs 20 million while another criminal of District Shikarpur involved in 29 murder cases was proposed for Rs 10 million reward money.

Taking cognizance of the severity of committed offences/heinous crimes, such as murder, kidnapping for ransom, and Police encounters, etc., and in due consideration of the principles of fairness and justice and in due regard of austerity in spending the public money, the Chief Minister, has proposed to place a cap on cash reward for cases where head money for heinous criminals has to be paid. This proposal will cover the lacunae in the available policy.

The Home department proposed Rs 500,000 each per murder case and kidnapping for ransom, and Rs 200,000 each for dacoity and police encounter.

The department also proposed an Rs 10 million maximum proposed amount which the cabinet approved after discussion.

Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi told the cabinet that the P&D conducted a Mid-Year Review (MYR) of the development portfolio to assess the progress of development schemes of ADP 2022-23 having its size of Rs 459.658 billion, including Rs. 332.165 billion Provincial, Rs. 30.000 billion District, Rs. 91.468 billion Foreign Project Assistance and Rs. 6.025 billion Federal Grant.

The Chairman P&D told the cabinet that out of 1515 likely to be completed (LTBC) schemes, only 796 schemes are estimated to be completed despite full allocation.

The cabinet appreciated the services of Home Secretary Saeed Mangnijo who is retiring from his services on May 1, 2023.