Islamabad Safe City Cameras No Longer Using Israeli Software, Officials Confirm

Officials from Islamabad Police have clarified that the surveillance cameras installed under the Safe City project in Islamabad are no longer using Israeli software. According to senior authorities, the software in question was deployed for a limited period between June 2021 and October 2022 and has since been discontinued.

The system involved a video analytics platform known as BriefCam. This software was originally developed in Israel and is designed to help security agencies quickly search, review, and analyze large amounts of surveillance footage. Instead of manually watching hours of video, operators can use the platform to filter clips based on specific characteristics such as movement, objects, or vehicles. The tool works alongside camera networks and video management systems by processing recorded or live footage and generating searchable data.

Islamabad Safe City Cameras No Longer Using Israeli Software, Officials Confirm

The cameras used in Islamabad’s Safe City project were supplied by the Chinese technology company Huawei. Officials explained that the analytics software came pre-installed as part of the broader technical package. However, they emphasized that the software was not permanently integrated into the system and was later removed after its license expired.

BriefCam’s history is linked to academic research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where the concept of “video synopsis” was first developed. The technology was later commercialized and eventually acquired in 2018 by Japanese imaging company Canon Inc.. Following the acquisition, the platform became part of Canon’s security solutions portfolio, including integration with Milestone, a Danish video management company previously acquired by Canon.

A senior director-level official from the Safe City Authority stated that they used the application only as a trial run for approximately one year. The procurement was made under Canon Japan’s services after the company had already acquired BriefCam. According to the official, the system was discontinued due to the expiration of its license and was not renewed afterward. Another government source confirmed that the software was active for around 16 months and rejected claims that it remained operational beyond 2022.

The issue gained public attention amid international media reports discussing the use of surveillance technology in regional security matters. Although the software referenced in those reports was not the same as BriefCam, questions arose about whether similar foreign-origin analytics tools were in use in Islamabad. Authorities responded by clarifying the timeline and confirming that the software is no longer part of the Safe City system.

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The disclosure highlights broader concerns about how surveillance technologies are selected and managed in public safety projects. Modern video analytics systems go beyond simple recording. They allow automated searching, pattern recognition, and real-time alerts. This increases the importance of strong oversight, transparent procurement processes, and clear data governance policies.

When software components are sourced from multiple international vendors, supply chains can become complex. Hardware may come from one country, analytics tools from another, and ownership structures may change over time. Even if the physical cameras remain the same, updates or additional software layers can introduce new legal and reputational considerations.

For citizens, the central concern is accountability. Authorities must clearly document when they activate surveillance systems, how long they operate them, and when they retire them to maintain public trust. Officials state that they used the Israeli-origin software only temporarily and shut it down in October 2022. It also signals that the current Safe City infrastructure no longer relies on that platform.