Senate IT Committee Reviews Security of Islamabad Safe City Cameras After Tehran Hacking Incident

Islamabad

Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication on Wednesday reviewed the security mechanisms of Islamabad’s Safe City surveillance system following reports that traffic cameras in Tehran were allegedly hacked by Israel.

The issue was taken up as part of the committee’s agenda to assess whether Islamabad’s surveillance infrastructure could face similar cybersecurity threats.

During the meeting, Senator Afnan Ullah warned that the developments in Tehran were alarming and highlighted the growing risks of cyber warfare targeting surveillance systems.

“What has recently happened in Tehran is dangerous. There is not just one method of hacking—there are thousands,” he said, emphasizing the need for stronger cybersecurity safeguards.

He further alleged that Israel often had influence behind certain global software ecosystems, raising concerns about potential vulnerabilities.

The Director General of the Safe City Project, Haroon, briefed the committee on the system’s security architecture and assured lawmakers that Islamabad’s Safe City infrastructure remained fully secure.

He said the BriefCam system, a video analytics platform used in the Safe City cameras, was installed in 2021 and is based on Japanese technology.

According to the DG, the Safe City project’s data services and associated applications are fully protected and undergo regular security audits.

“The Safe City system is safeguarded by multiple firewalls, which ensure that the infrastructure remains secure,” he said.

He also informed the committee that strict protocols are followed during VVIP movements and that security agencies continuously monitor such activities through the surveillance network.

The DG added that procurement of equipment for the Safe City project is currently being handled by the Frontier Works Organization (FWO).

Concluding the discussion, the committee chairperson suggested that the next meeting be held at the Safe City control room and directed that officials from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) also be invited to provide further insights on surveillance security.