The Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom held a session today to review the security measures of Islamabad’s Safe City cameras. The discussion was prompted by recent reports that traffic cameras in Tehran had been hacked, reportedly by Israel. Lawmakers expressed concerns that similar vulnerabilities could exist in Pakistan’s systems.
The surveillance software inside Islamabad’s Safe City network has been under public scrutiny for over a year due to allegations of ties with Israel. This technology had previously been used to monitor Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem. It was later replaced by a platform called Extreme C, which includes full facial recognition capabilities. Today, the cameras operate on Huawei hardware and are linked to NADRA, which holds biometric records of virtually every Pakistani citizen.
BriefCam, founded in 2007 at Israel’s Hebrew University and acquired by Canon Inc. in 2018, provides advanced video analytics, including facial recognition and license-plate search. In Islamabad, the software was used to identify suspects, read vehicle plates, and issue e-challans for traffic violations.
The committee was briefed by DIG Muhammad Haroon Joya, who highlighted that the “BriefCam” system used in Islamabad’s Safe City cameras was installed in 2021 and is of Japanese origin. He reassured members that the data services of the Safe City Project are fully secure and that all associated apps are protected against cyber threats.
Senator Afnan Ullah called the recent hacking incident in Tehran particularly alarming. He emphasized that hacking can occur through thousands of different methods and warned that foreign influence, including Israeli involvement, is often present behind major software systems in the United States.
DIG Muhammad Haroon Joya also noted that the Safe City Project undergoes regular audits to ensure security. He said the project is fully protected through firewalls and that protocols for VIP movements are strictly followed. Security agencies continuously monitor these movements to maintain safety and surveillance integrity.
All equipment for the Safe City Project is procured through the Frontier Works Organization (FWO), DIG Haroon added, ensuring transparency and quality control in the system’s infrastructure.
The committee chairperson suggested that future meetings be held in the Safe City control room for a more detailed review. He also recommended inviting the Intelligence Bureau to participate in the discussions to further strengthen oversight and security measures.
