Quetta:The Quetta Safe City project, aimed at combating rising terrorism in Balochistan, particularly in the city of Quetta, remains incomplete despite significant financial allocations over the past decade.
Initiated in 2014 with an estimated cost of Rs. 17.4 billion for installing over 1400 CCTV cameras throughout Quetta, the project saw no progress for four years. Subsequently, additional funds amounting to Rs. 24.8 billion were allocated in 2018, yet operational progress remained minimal until 2021.
Following repeated delays, a third PC-1 was drafted with a revised estimated cost of Rs. 35.77 billion. Despite partial implementation with 800 cameras installed across key areas of Quetta, the project has yet to achieve full completion as of mid-2024.
Adil Akbar, Chief Operating Officer of the project, reported that 80% of the project related to the installation of 800 cameras is complete, focusing on various strategic points. He attributed the delays to bureaucratic hurdles and acknowledged corruption as a significant factor hindering progress.
Akbar indicated plans to add 200 to 400 additional cameras to enhance surveillance capabilities and facilitate prompt replacements in case of malfunction.
Sources cite corruption, administrative inefficiencies, and changing political landscapes in Balochistan as key contributors to the project’s prolonged delays and increased costs.
