Even though Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan has acknowledged that Ashura processions in the city are vulnerable to terrorist attacks, more than 60 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras along the major thoroughfares of the metropolis, especially the MA Jinnah Road, still need to be repaired.
The CCTV cameras were installed by the defunct City District Government Karachi (CDGK) to monitor vehicular traffic and the law and order situation.
But the apathy of authorities concerned resulted in many of them becoming non-functional.
And those which are still working, particularly along the Shahrah-e-Faisal, the MA Jinnah Road, the Abdullah Haroon Road and around the Mazar-e-Quaid, have been rendered useless due to the presence of large billboards set up in front of them.
On many occasions, the law enforcement agencies have been unable to acquire the footage of an incident as the cameras have been out-of-order.
The cameras were unable to be of any assistance in various attacks in the city including the Ashura and Chehlum blasts in 2009.
In 2008, the CDGK had installed a digital surveillance and monitoring system at the Civic Centre, monitored by officials of the law enforcement authorities.
In the first phase, 148 cameras were installed at a cost of Rs 130 million with the required technical support, including monitoring screens and navigating and recording equipment.
However, the lack of smooth electricity supply to these cameras, setting up of large billboards and poor maintenance of the surveillance system caused many of these cameras to malfunction.
