Islamabad’s Safe City initiative is set to receive a major technological boost, as authorities prepare to install 3,200 new AI-powered cameras to significantly improve urban security and real-time policing across the capital.
Director General of Safe City Islamabad, Shakir Hussain Dawar, shared details of the expansion during a media briefing on Thursday. He confirmed that a Rs. 17.4 billion PC-1 has been submitted for the project’s upgrade, focusing on modern surveillance powered by artificial intelligence.
Currently, the capital has 2,758 surveillance cameras, of which 700 are AI-enabled. The new additions will increase the city’s surveillance coverage, incorporating advanced features such as facial recognition, license plate detection, and traffic violation monitoring.
The upgraded system aims to provide near-total digital coverage of Islamabad. It will create records of individuals entering the city and help law enforcement respond more swiftly to incidents.
To handle this surge in data, seven high-powered servers are being added to the infrastructure. In addition, 14 more servers are planned to enable older cameras to function with AI capabilities.
DG Dawar revealed that AI surveillance is already producing tangible results: it has helped identify 77 criminal gangs, with 32 arrested so far. The upcoming installation of advanced rooftop cameras will also allow authorities to capture images of individuals inside vehicles more clearly.
This expansion signals a new chapter in Islamabad’s public safety strategy. Reliance on AI tools is growing to ensure efficient policing, better monitoring, and a safer urban environment.