Punjab’s Safe Jail Project Advances with AI-Powered Security Plans

LAHORE, September 2026 Ali Imran Chattha Nazrana Times

Chinese experts have presented proposals for artificial intelligence-based security and monitoring systems as work progresses on the Punjab government’s Safe Jail Project.
A delegation of Chinese experts visited the Punjab Home Department, where a meeting chaired by Additional Secretary Prisons Roman Borana reviewed plans for the Central Command and Control Centre. DIG Prisons Naveed Ashraf, Project Director Imtiaz Abbas, NRTC project managers and other officials attended the meeting.
The Chinese delegation included Judy Kim and Erik Zhang. Proposals for a smart video conferencing system and an AI-based Content Management System for the Central Command and Control Centre were discussed.
Officials also reviewed plans to install panic buttons and public address systems in prisoners’ cells, barracks and other key areas across prisons.
The meeting was informed that work on the Safe Jail Project is progressing rapidly, with more than 12,000 modern cameras and other equipment being installed across Punjab’s prisons.
Under the first phase, 10 central prisons, District Jail Lahore and 10 Command and Control Centres are being completed. The planned surveillance system will monitor prison entry and exit points, offices, barracks, security walls, jammer areas, kitchens, hospitals and libraries.
The system is also designed to detect irregular or prohibited activities and generate immediate alerts to enable timely action.
The Punjab government has allocated Rs. 5 billion for the Safe Jail Project, with March 2027 set as the completion deadline for prisons across the province.
Control rooms are being established at all prisons, Regional DIG Prisons offices, the Inspector General Prisons Office and the Punjab Home Department to strengthen monitoring.
Additional Secretary Prisons Roman Borana said prison reforms were among the Punjab government’s top priorities. He added that, on the directions of Secretary Home Punjab Dr Ahmad Javed Qazi, progress on the Safe Jail Project was being reviewed daily.