Punjab Safe Cities Project': Punjab government, Huawei Company sign agreement
An agreement was signed between Punjab government and Chinese company Huawei regarding Punjab Safe Cities Project here on Friday. Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was the chief guest at the signing ceremony. Chief Operating Officer Punjab Safe Cities Authority Akbar Nasir Khan and Chief Executive Officer Huawei Pakistan Meng Xiaojie signed the document under which 8023 cameras will be installed in Lahore while modern cameras will also be fixed on 800 vehicles in the city which will modernised the system of surveillance.
The project is aimed at modernising the system of security and protection of life and property of the citizens: the project will also play an important role in dealing with any emergent situation caused due to activities of anti-social elements, thieves, dacoits and terrorists.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the agreement between Punjab government and Chinese company Huawei regarding Sate Cities Project is a milestone in the history of the province. The project to be started in Lahore after Islamabad will be state-of- the-art. "Safe City Project is the most important project for the protection of the citizens as well as meeting the challenges of terrorism, extremism and street crime, the first phase of the project will be completed this year whereas the project will be fully functional within a year.
The CM said after the completion of the third phase its scope will extend to the whole city, under the project latest cameras will be installed while command and control centre is also being established. He said vehicles equipped with modern equipment are also a part of the project, after Lahore, work will be started simultaneously on Safe Cities Project in four other cities of Punjab including Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Multan. All these projects will be completed before the completion of the constitutional tenure of the present government.
He said the Safe Cities Project is based on latest technology and equipment for the protection of future generation against crime and will tremendously improve security situation. Islamabad Safe City Project which is moving towards completion under the supervision of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. The CM said that bidding for Punjab Safe Cities Project was held in a very transparent manner and the best companies of the world took part in the bidding process but Huawei made the lowest bid.
However, he said, negotiations were held successfully with the lowest bidding company Huawei and a further amount of four billion rupees was saved., though Safe City Project of Lahore is four times bigger than Islamabad still four billion rupees of the nation have been saved. He said that saving of four billion rupees means four big hospitals, several educational institutions for new generation and free treatment to poor patients. Punjab government is spending 3.5 billion rupees annually on the provision of medicines to the patients in 36 districts of the province and a saving of four billion rupees has been made on Safe Cities Project.
He said billions of rupees saved on development projects are being spent on education, health, water supply and other welfare projects of the citizens and this process will continue under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. He said that saving of four billion rupees on this project is an example of transparency and honesty, compared to it, corruption and loot was rampant in the past.
Shahbaz Sharif said under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, the process of progress and prosperity is continuing speedily and saving of billions of rupees on development projects is an example. He said that records of corruption were set in the past but the PML-N government has set examples of saving of national resources, our journey is of progress, prosperity and light and there should be strict accountability so that facts could become clear. He said he feels that time has come for transparent accountability and elimination of corruption.
He said the Safe Cities Project is the result of efforts of the entire team working on the project, politicians, civil servants and police authorities are working on this project collectively, best forensic lab has been set up in Punjab which has become an example in the entire world.
He said that Punjab Safe Cities Project will also be an example with regard to transparency, standard and speed and will be completed on time. Manpower will be recruited for this project on merit and their training will also be arranged, with the completion of this project, law and order situation will improve and this project will be a splendid example.
The CM thanked Chinese company Huawei for extending full co-operation with regard to Safe Cities Project that will be completed on time and will be up to international stand Chief Executive Officer Huawei, Meng Xiaojie, while addressing the ceremony, said Pak-China friendship is an example and a peaceful and safe atmosphere will become available to citizens with the completion of Punjab Safe Cities Project. He said his company will maintain highest standard in the implementation of the project.
Chief Operating Officer Punjab Safe Cities Authority Akbar Nasir Khan while giving details of Punjab Safe Cities Project told that the first phase of the project will be completed in October. Chinese Consul General Yu Boren, Provincial Ministers Rana Sanaullah, Bilal Yasin, Member National Assembly Pervaiz Malik, Special Assistant Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Inspector General Police, Secretary Home, senior officials of Huawei, Assembly Members, intellectuals and columnists were present on the occasion.