ISLAMABAD   -   Ministry of Interior on Saturday sought a plan to establish a safe city project in Dasu town of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Chilas area of Gilgit-Baltistan as part of the federal government’s efforts to provide foolproof security to Chinese working in Pakistan. Chairing a meeting at the Ministry of Interior, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi constituted a committee comprising police and Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) officials to make a comprehensive plan of the safe city project and present the report within 15 days.

The members of the committee included Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and regional police officer (RPO) Hazara division of KP besides representatives of WAPDA.

On March 26 this year, five Chinese engineers and their Pakistani driver were killed in a suicide attack in the remote Bisham area of KP while travelling from Islamabad to the construction site of Dasu Hydropower Project. The federal government had taken serious exception to this terror incident while recommending action against those police officials held responsible for the security lapse. “It is our responsibility to ensure the security of Chinese citizens working for the progress and development of Pakistan, assuring that no effort will be spared in this regard,” Mohsin Naqvi was quoted as saying this in the meeting by a spokesman of the interior ministry.

He directed that the committee would submit final recommendations within the given deadline.

Addressing the meeting, the interior minister said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed to establish a safe city project in Dasu and Chilas. He emphasized the implementation of the project on the pattern of safe city projects of Islamabad and Lahore. He highlighted that the purpose of the safe city was not just to install cameras but a system that should be equipped with advanced technology and artificial intelligence tools. He added that the project would ensure surveillance and security of the entire area. Naqvi further said that the Islamabad Police would provide every kind of support in this regard. Interior Secretary Khurram Ali Agha, Chairman WAPDA Lieutenant General (retd) Sajjad Ghani, Chief Commissioner Islamabad Muhammad Ali Randhawa and capital city police chief attended the meeting. Furthermore, additional chief secretary home, additional IGP and RPO Hazara of KP joined the meeting via video link.