Panic buttons installed at 68 locations in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Panic buttons have been installed at 68 points across Peshawar under the Safe City Project to help ensure a prompt response to public complaints, according to a statement issued by the office of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa inspector general of police on Wednesday.

The statement said the devices are fitted with both audio and video communication features and are directly linked to the safe city headquarters.

According to the statement, the system has been introduced for use in emergency situations, and activating a panic button will enable police to reach citizens without delay.

The provincial police chief, Zulfiqar Hameed, said the initiative was aimed at improving public safety in busy areas and that it will ensure the safety of students, women and other citizens at crowded places.

He said similar facilities would soon be introduced in other cities as well.

Emergency response mechanism

The newly installed panic buttons form part of the Safe City Project in the provincial capital. As outlined in the police statement, the devices are intended to provide citizens with a direct way to contact authorities during emergencies through an integrated audio and video link with the central safe city system.

The official statement described the measure as part of efforts to improve response times when members of the public seek police assistance. It said the buttons had been placed at dozens of locations in Peshawar and were connected directly to the headquarters overseeing the safe city network.

The police chief’s office said the facility was especially intended to support the safety of people in crowded public spaces, including students and women.

Expansion planned

Besides announcing the installation in Peshawar, the statement said the same kind of facility would be rolled out in other cities in the future.

No further operational details were provided in the statement, but officials said the purpose of the panic buttons was to allow immediate communication in emergencies and facilitate a swift police response.

The development was announced by the office of the provincial police chief on Wednesday as part of the Safe City Project in Peshawar.