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Friday March 29, 2024

4,696 cameras installed in City, PA told

By Faizan Bangash
February 01, 2018

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly was informed on Wednesday that 4,696 cameras out of total 6,000, had been installed in the provincial capital under the Safe City Project, whereas, installation of cameras in DHA and the Cantonment areas was subject to the NOC from the administration concerned. Parliamentary Secretary Rana Arshad told the House that Punjab Safe Cities Authority was established in 2016 under PSCA Act, under which, installation of cameras on all important roads, buildings and sensitive places was necessary. He add that Rs 5485.192 million had been allocated for IC3 Project of Punjab Safe Cities Authority in the year 2017-18. Responding to a question, he said delay in installation of cameras at some places of the city was due to the ongoing development work. After the completion of development work, the cameras would be made functional in other areas, he added. Punjab Assembly was also told that 32 employees of the Forensic Science Laboratory located at Thokar Niaz Beg, Lahore, were sent for a course in the US in the year 2009-10 which cost the government Rs 86.860 million.

To a question put up by Chaudhry Tariq Subhani during the question hour session related to Home Department, the House was told that the scientists were sent to the US because there was no institution in Pakistan for their training. An estimated cost on the training of each employee of the lab who visited the US was around Rs 2.7 million.

The legislators were also told that Forensic Science Lab was established at a cost of Rs 2549.547 million and its employees were recruited under Contract Appointment Policy, 2004. Among the total 867 employees of the forensic lab, 112 are forensic scientists and 192 junior forensic scientists.

The PA was also told that between 2012 and 2017, total Rs 3437.442 million were spent from non-development funds on the wages of employees, training of 32 scientists and operational purposes of the lab.

The PA was told that in the year 2015-16, in 45 incidents of cylinder blast, 93 people lost their lives. On a question by an Opposition member Shenila Ruth, the House was told that crackdown on manufacturing substandard cylinders was underway in the entire province. According the data provided to the PA, out of the total 93 deaths due to cylinder blasts, six occurred in Lahore, one in Kasur, four in Gujranwala, whereas, the largest number of casualties, 17, were reported in Pakpattan district, followed closely by Sahiwal where 16 deaths occurred. The government claimed that due to crackdown and legal action, the number of such incidents had decreased considerably.

To a question put up by Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf MPA Nabila Hakim, the PA was informed that 70 citizens lost their lives in total 391 motorbike accidents in Lahore between January 2017 and November 2017.

The members were told that City Traffic Police had started special awareness campaign for citizens. In action against underage motorbike drivers, 73476 challan tickets were issued to the violators and 15,336 bikes were impounded. The House was told that surety bonds from their parents were also being received to bar children under 18 from bike driving.

The PA was told that in the year 2015-16, total 3723 incidents of violence against women were reported in the entire province. Till December 2017, total 23 persons were convicted by courts in the cases, whereas, the rest were under trial.

To another question, PA was informed that there were total 17 official residences in Elite Force Training School on Bedian Road, Lahore. The seven officials who have been allotted residences there are: Col Pervaiz Iqbal, SSP Fayaz Ahmed Sunmbal Shaheed, Major Khalid Saeed Tiwana, Major Ali Nawaz Janjua, Col Saad Salim, Rai Babar Saeed and Safraz Ahmed Falki.