All 712 police stations across Punjab go digital

Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), in collaboration with Punjab Police, has successfully introduced the digital system in all 712 police stations of Punjab.

Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, IG Punjab and other officials were present at the inauguration ceremony of the digital system at Central Police Office in Lahore.

Pakistani citizens face difficulties for registering FIRs and complaints whenever they visit a police station. The manual record keeping of FIR, Criminals Database and other operational and administrative activities were tedious, time-consuming and prone to human errors. The security of data was also a concern as it was placed in cabinets that could be accessed by others.

With an automated system, modern Criminal Record Offices have been set up in all 36 districts of Punjab. Other important institutional reforms include

• Establishment of “Front Desks/Reception Rooms” run by educated IT civilians
• Computerization of complaints through “Complaint Management System (CMS)”
• Data automation and improving readability through “Police Station Record Management System (PSRMS)”
• “Criminal Record Management System (CRMS)”. This system is meant for criminal record management and identification of criminals by using biometrics, physical appearance and previous crime history. The system is integrated with Tenant Registration System and Hotel Eye, as a result of which tenants and guests of hotels having a criminal record can be identified all over Punjab.
• Directing police to take action by monitoring of law & order through “Operational Media Center”
• IGP Complaint Center 8787
• CCTV monitoring of 5 cities of Punjab through “Punjab Safe City Authority” project
• “IGP Monitoring Cell” to oversee the IT-related activities of Punjab Police

Prime Minster and Chief Minister of Punjab lauded the efforts of PITB and Punjab Police towards digitalization. PM also said that the police should change their outlook and the negative “Thana” culture and make the environment friendlier for the visitors. He also advised other provinces to emulate the technological improvements made by Punjab Police.