Islamabad to Install 3,000 New Cameras for Safety

Islamabad is set to significantly enhance its surveillance capabilities with the installation of 3,100–3,200 advanced AI-powered cameras, bringing the total number of cameras in the capital to nearly 5,000 by mid-2026. This initiative, part of the Safe City Islamabad expansion, will extend monitoring across all sectors and suburban zones, significantly enhancing crime prevention, traffic enforcement, and emergency response. The project is backed by a PKR 17.4 billion Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) grant and features cutting-edge facial recognition, license plate detection, and real-time analytics.

• Installation of 3,100–3,200 new AI-enabled cameras under the Safe City Islamabad project

• Total surveillance count anticipated to exceed 5,000 cameras, offering nearly 100% coverage

• Expansion includes new sectors and rural belts like G‑13 to G‑16, I‑14 to I‑16, New Airport, Barakahu, Rawat, and Sangjani

• Project budget: PKR 17.4 billion, approved through PC-1 and PSDP funds

• Major upgrades include facial recognition, ANPR, and traffic-violation monitoring functions

• Hardware enhancement: Installation of seven high-power servers now, with plans for 14 more to support older cameras upgrading to AI mode

• Achieves full surveillance coverage of Islamabad, improving security and urban monitoring.

• Strengthens traffic management capabilities, especially along key routes and entry/exit points.

• Integrates with the National Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centre (NIFTAC) to support national threat coordination and terror-prevention architecture 

• New cameras mounted on rooftops, intersections, roads, and major public spaces feed into the Safe City Command Centre.

• Facial recognition for identifying individuals of interest.

• Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) for vehicle tracking.

• Traffic violation alerts, enabling instant enforcement operations.

• Real-time alerts to police patrol units via centralized screens.

• AI cameras contributed to identifying 77 criminal gangs, leading to 32 arrests in Islamabad

• The system played a key role during the ICC Champions Trophy security deployment, with Safe City overseeing 24/7 surveillance across key venues, routes, and accommodation hubs using over 900 cameras and drone support 

• During Muharram processions, more than 16,000 law enforcement officers and 3,000+ cameras were deployed for crowd control and public safety, ­with command centers actively managing incidents

Public Safety Boost

• Enhanced ability to prevent and investigate crime, particularly vehicle theft and violent incidents.

• Real-time alerts enable faster law enforcement responses.

Urban Management

• Integration with traffic systems helps manage congestion and enforce safe driving norms.

Citizen Engagement

• Launch of the “One Info App” and an online Women Police Station for digital complaint registrations and support services 

Regional Model

• Islamabad sets a benchmark for provinces like Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan, many of which are working on their own Safe City expansions led by the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA)

• Shakir Hussain Dawar (DG, Safe City Islamabad) highlighted the system’s AI capabilities and success in gang identification and early intervention.

• Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the One Info App and Women Police Station as tools for empowering vulnerable groups and improving digital emergency response

• IGP Ali Nasir Rizvi stressed the importance of integrating Islamabad’s Safe City data with national systems to combat cross-city criminal networks.

Islamabad’s decision to install over 3,000 advanced AI cameras marks a bold leap toward transforming the capital into a fully monitored smart city. The initiative not only enhances security and crime deterrence but also integrates traffic management, emergency response, and community policing into a unified platform. With near-total CCTV coverage, AI analytics, and public engagement tools like the One Info App, Islamabad is setting new standards for urban surveillance in Pakistan—and potentially internationally.