Punjab IGP reviews Ashura security at Safe City HQ

On Ashura Day, Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. Usman Anwar visited the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) Headquarters to review the centralised monitoring of mourning processions and high-security locations across the province.

During the visit, IG Punjab closely examined the real-time surveillance of Ashura processions in Lahore and other districts, conducted through the Safe City’s integrated monitoring system.

MD Safe Cities Muhammad Ahsan Younis briefed the IG on security arrangements, including the deployment of portable cameras at sensitive locations, and the presence of 24/7 operational police communication and technical teams at the PSCA Control Center. COO Mustansar Feroze, Operations Commander SP Shafiq Chaudhry, and other senior officials were also present during the briefing.

Processions in multiple cities are being monitored via Safe City’s interlinked system, allowing seamless coordination between district-level control rooms and the central command in Lahore.

IG Punjab said that these efforts are part of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s ‘Safe Punjab Vision’, under which the reach of surveillance has now extended to every city and tehsil. “We’re using all available resources to ensure foolproof security for Ashura gatherings,” Dr. Usman Anwar stated.

He also revealed that under the current financial year’s plan, the Safe Cities network will be expanded to 7,000 union councils across Punjab, enhancing the province’s capability to prevent and respond to security threats more effectively.