Senators from PML-N and JUI-P have raised serious concerns about the security of Islamabad’s Safe City surveillance system, questioning whether any of the software used might have Israeli origins. These suspicions emerged during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan.
The committee’s inquiry was prompted by recent reports of traffic cameras in Tehran being hacked, sparking fears that similar vulnerabilities could exist in Pakistan. Lawmakers emphasized that any breach in the system could jeopardize VVIP movements and national security.
Senator Afnan Ullah pointed out that many global surveillance technologies are linked to Israeli firms, suggesting that hardware-based systems might be more secure than software-only solutions. Senator Talha Mahmood added that during his previous tenure, an inquiry revealed that the company managing the Safe City project had ties to Israel via Turkey.
However, officials from the Safe City project assured the committee that the system is protected by multiple cybersecurity layers, including firewalls, secure data servers, and mobile app protocols. They also confirmed that the system undergoes regular technical audits.
The committee was informed that the BriefCam software, deployed in 2021, is now owned by a Japanese company, not an Israeli one. The National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT) revealed that 15 software firms have been blacklisted due to security risks.
Concerns were also raised about the district administration’s plan to install electronic M Tags on motorcycles. Lawmakers warned that stolen tags could allow terrorists to bypass security checks. Officials defended the initiative, citing global practices and the need for digital regulation.
Additional discussions focused on data leaks from government institutions. Senators claimed that Nadra data was being sold on the dark web, though Nadra officials insisted the database remains secure. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) also briefed the committee on upcoming 5G testing and recent tax data breaches.
