Minister Atif Khan has launched two projects in Mardan to better serve citizens. KP Minister for Science and Technology, Food, Sports and Youth Affairs, Atif Khan, has launched Mardan’s AI-based Pilot Safe City Project as well as the Paperless File Management System in the local District Commissioner’s (DC’s) office.
Both projects were created in collaboration with the KP IT Board, District Police Office Mardan, DC Office Mardan, and the National Center of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) University of Engineering and Technology.
The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Safe City Mardan Project includes a holistic approach to achieving a safe city by deploying surveillance systems at critical junctions in a smart and safe way. The system is supported by facial recognition and is backed by Artificial Intelligence (AI), which will enable the system to detect weapons, mobs, boundary breaches, and camera tampering.
Separately, to ensure the public follows SOPs during disease outbreaks, the system can also detect face masks and that appropriate social distancing protocols are being followed. One of the more salient features of the project is that the AI-backed systems will significantly reduce human involvement in monitoring live events captured on CCTV cameras, eliminating room for human error.
With AI-based technology, the focus is brought to each targeted event and can immediately alert the relevant authorities. Separately, in a bid to achieve both efficiency and transparency for the people of KP, the Paperless File Management System will automate the file tracking system of the DC’s office to streamline the internal work and document flow between the Commissioners’ offices to the DC’s, and then subsequently to the teams involved in supporting the tasks.
As the first to implement such a system, the DC’s office in Mardan is paving the path forward on a solution that will be expanded to all DC offices in the future.
This Paperless File Management System ensures the timely management of tasks and empowers the DCs to keep track of the workflow and counter any chances of data fudging. With the system in place, DCs can also easily access files and processes outside of the office, and a KP-FMS mobile app enables officers to review files, mark them, check the status, and even create files.
Both projects are highly innovative and aim to support Mardan as a city with growth potential, and provide KP citizens with an opportunity to engage with a responsive and efficient government.
According to Atif Khan, the project is in line with the Digital Pakistan vision that aims to develop and enhance security in cities using advanced technology to improve quality of life, boost the efficiency of city operations and services, and strengthen competitiveness, all in an effort to meet the security concerns of current and future generations.
The Minister said:
Through both the Safe City Mardan Project and the Paperless File Management System, we are building a future for Mardan that is safe and smart. One that improves the quality of life for our communities, and saves time, energy, and resources in the process.
He concluded by stating that the file automation system at the DC offices is part of our vision of bringing efficiency and transparency in the public interest to keep track of tasks assigned and reasons for delays.
If the facial recognition is linked to NADRA, then it’ll be easier to find missing children and criminals. Only issue would relate to privacy. Predictive analytics can also help keep our communities safe but that’s the next stage from here. First, we need to ensure that what Mardan has implemented is effective. If successful, it should be rolled out countrywide.
Who will operate the system? Same police? Actually the issue is police itself, there should be strict laws for police if they not follow the conduct.