LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif yesterday inaugurated Punjab Safe City Project, a unique project of its kind in Pakistan and the biggest project in Asia.
After inaugurating Integrated Command, Control and Communication Center of Punjab Safe Cities Authority at Qurban Lines, the chief minister said that the first phase of Safe City Project has completed in a record period of time.
The Punjab government started Safe City Project for providing a crime-free and peaceful atmosphere to the citizens and an amount of Rs120 million is being spent for this purpose.
In collaboration with leading Chinese company Huawei, the provincial government has installed a huge screen - the biggest in Asia - in Command & Control Center.
Shehbaz Sharif hoped that the Chinese company would operate this project as an example of hard work, honesty and transparency.
“Punjab is the first province where this kind of project has been inaugurated whereas federal government started Safe City Project in Islamabad six years ago which has now been completed,” he added.
According to the CM, the Safe City Project of Punjab government is four times bigger than Islamabad project.
Federal Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan increased the number of cameras of Islamabad Safe City Project from 1500 to 2000 whereas eight thousand cameras are being installed in Lahore under Punjab Safe City Project.
Through the new system, a vigilant eye will be kept on criminal elements and in case of any incident of crime, an alarm would ring which will alert the concerned institution.
He further announced that Safe City Project will also be started in six other cities including Multan, Bahawalpur, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Sargodha and will be completed by the end of 2017.
He hoped due to this step of Punjab government, Pakistan would become a safe, peaceful and prosperous country.
MESSAGE OF PEACE ON ASHURA
Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement, said the sacrifices of Hazrat Imam Hussain and his companions are a beacon of light for the Muslims.
“Karbala tragedy gives the message to the Muslims to be prepared for every sacrifice for upholding truth and justice,” the CM said.
In a message on Youm-e-Ashur, Shehbaz Sharif said that Imam Hussain gave the message to raise the voice of truth and uphold highest human values in even the most difficult circumstances.
He said that Karbala tragedy also gives the lesson of patience and steadfastness besides to counter oppression and brutalities with commitment and determination.
He said that the examples of courage and valor set by Imam Hussain and his companions in Karbala are a matter of pride for humanity.
“The battle between truth and falsehood in Karbala is a lesson for Muslims as well as the entire mankind.
“The best way to pay tributes to the supreme sacrifices of martyrs of Karbala is to follow their principles and teachings,” he added.
A peaceful society, Shehbaz said, could be set up by acting upon the ideals of Hazrat Imam Hussain.