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Friday March 29, 2024

‘Safe City projects help curb crime’

By Our Correspondent
October 14, 2018

LAHORE : Digitisation of the system is crucial for the national growth while safe city projects are helpful in controlling crime and terrorism besides disciplining the traffic and reducing the accidents ratio.

These views were expressed by the participants in the Jang Economic Session on ‘Safe city projects impact on traffic, daily life and economy’. The panellists were Akber Nasir Khan, Ramzan Sheikh, Sikandar M Khan, Dr Ehsan Malik, Farooq Hasnaat, Dr Ayesha Azam, and Khalid Malik. The session was hosted by Sikandar Lodhi.

Akber Nasir Khan said that population in mega cities was growing rapidly so effective traffic management system is the need of the hour and Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) was made for this purpose. He said all law enforcement agencies were working under one-roof in this project to maintain peace in the cities. He said the project was made for economic growth and building infrastructure of six big cities of Punjab was already established which will improve traffic monitoring at entry-exit points. He stressed the need of public awareness on traffic laws besides strict implementation of regulations.

Ramzan Sheikh said that unfortunately awareness about traffic among road users did not exist in Pakistan so the general public was insensitive on it. He appreciated safe city project which will reduce pollution and improve traffic flow. He suggested installation of electronic gates at the entry and exit points of city to check prohibited items in vehicles. He suggested issuing fine tickets on motorways and highways on failure of vehicle fitness too along with over-speeding.

Sikindar M Khan said that safe city project should be expanded to other cities to counter the crime. He said the project was based on information technology so its expansion will create job opportunities. He said the rule of law should be established by effective reward and punishment mechanism.

Dr Ehsan Malik said that safe city project was a good solution to traffic problems and attempts were being made to implement the traffic laws through it. He believed that disciplined society could grow better so no one should be exempted. He suggested including the citizenship rules in curriculum in modern education system while crime could be controlled by effectively using this system at the entry and exit points of the city.

Farooq Hasnaat said that stopping at red signal and making queue were part of curriculum in the past and modern world still follow this which need to be promoted in Pakistan. He said traffic licence should be issued with proper test and no influence or reference be accommodated for it. He called for a change of mindset to promote civil culture in the society which should be adopted individually.

Dr Ayesha Azam said there was a need to create awareness in safe city project besides emergency management. She said traffic accident ratio would reduce through safe city project and create citizenship awareness among public. She said unbridled traffic was creating depression, blood pressure and intolerance among public.

Khalid Malik said that peaceful city could not be established without digital transformation so modern traffic management system will play important role in peace creation and positive image of Pakistan in the world. He said Pakistani society was radically changing and such projects were the need of the hour. He said safe city project would bring positive changes in economy and social life.