ISLAMABAD, Mar 31 (APP): Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Wednesday said new drone based surveillance system on motorway and adaptation of latest technology by motorway police were big milestones to bring progress in the country.
He was speaking at the launching event of ‘Drone Patrolling, Body Worn cameras and PSV Management System’ held here at Motorway (M-2) Islamabad Toll Plaza.
Speaking on the occasion, the federal minister said the drone technology would facilitate the monitoring of vehicles at the toll plaza, facilitate travelers through eliminating long queues, increase the revenue of motorway police and decrease accidents on motorways.
Earlier, the speed of vehicles was being monitored at the specific places where cameras were installed but now the drone technology will make the surveillance system more effective.
The minister emphasized the need to create technology wings in police initially in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore. “Ultimately we have to see how far constables have the ability to adapt to the new technologies, not how fast they can run.”
Fawad said Islamabad motorway may be the first police to adapt the latest technology and Lahore and Karachi motorway police need to study these technologies closely.
The minister observed that Islamabad Police spends Rs20 million annually on patrolling and this cost would be significantly lowered through shifting to drone based surveillance system. This would also reduce environmental pollution, he added.
He pointed out that Karachi city had been facing the issue of street crimes and drone was the best technology to end such crimes.
Mentioning the figures, he said the drone industry which was of 22.34 billion in the year 2020 would grow up to 70 billion during the next seven years. While Pakistan’s minimum share in this industry should be 2.8 percent, he added.
Pakistan should have been exporting billion dollar drone at this time but unfortunately it could not happen due to ban on drone technology on civilian side, he lamented.
He said drones were used for the first time in the tribal areas of Pakistan while this technology was introduced in our defence sector in the year 2005. However, ban on drones on civilian side hindered the progress in this field, he added.
Chaudhry Fawad said drone technology would be the integral part of our agriculture sector in the next three to five years and transform this entire sector.
The minister said since assuming charge of Ministry of Science and Technology, he had been emphasizing on the importance of drone technology.
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had always supported this technology led endeavours and extended special cooperation in implementation of drone technology.
He revealed that Drone Authority Ordinance was being issued today which would regulate manufacturing and import of drone technology in the country. “We want to give important status to drones in the health, agriculture and police sectors”, he said.
Emphasizing the importance of drone usage in health sector, he said drones can help in supply of medicines to the Basic Health Units in far flung areas.
He mentioned that around 43 states in United States had shifted their 70 percent of police surveillance system on drones.
The minister said the Rescue 15 calls would also be connected to the drones straightway in future so that the drones could reach the place of incidents in time.
He also termed the indigenous body worn cameras introduced for motorway police as a great contribution and urged the other 14 police forces to come forward and adapt such technologies.
He said only technology could change the prevailing “Thana culture” in the country. “We have to lay the foundation of new Pakistan on the basis of knowledge, science, technology and logic,” Fawad said.
He also appreciated the efforts of Murad Saeed for bringing innovation in the departments and termed him a hope for creating a new Pakistan as he had the capability to implement new ideas.