BANGKOK: As cases of violence against women and girls have surged in South Asia in recent years, authorities have introduced harsher penalties and expanded surveillance networks, including facial recognition systems, to prevent such crimes.
Police in the north Indian city of Lucknow earlier this year said they would install cameras with emotion recognition technology to spot women being harassed, while in Pakistan, police have launched a mobile safety app after a gang rape.
But use of these technologies with no evidence that they help reduce crime, and with no data protection laws, has raised the alarm among privacy experts and women’s rights activists who say the increased surveillance can hurt women even more.
“The police does not even know if this technology works,” said Roop Rekha Verma, a women’s rights activist in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh state, which had the highest number of reported crimes against women in India in 2019.
“Our experience with the police does not give us the confidence that they will use the technology in an effective and empathetic manner. If it is not deployed properly, it can lead to even more harassment, including from the police,” she said.
Lucknow is one of eight cities implementing a Safe City project that aims to create a “safe, secure and empowering environment” for women in public places, and curb crimes with “safer urban infrastructure and efficient access” to police.
But the project — alongside the 100 Smart Cities program that relies on technology to improve services — is being used to exponentially increase surveillance, said Anushka Jain, an associate counsel at the Internet Freedom Foundation in Delhi.
“Authorities have used crimes against women as a justification to step up surveillance, but the massive spends on CCTV and facial recognition technology do not correlate to a corresponding drop in crimes against women,” she said over the phone.
“By targeting women disproportionately (authorities) are creating new problems in a society where women are already constantly tracked in their homes and for whom anonymity in public places is so important,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Lucknow Police Commissioner D.K. Thakur declined to give details on how the technology will be deployed, and how the data will be monitored or used.
WATCHED CONSTANTLY
Worldwide, the rise of cloud computing and artificial intelligence technologies has popularised the use of facial recognition for a range of applications from tracking criminals to admitting concert-goers.
In Pakistan and India, these systems are being touted as necessary to modernize understaffed police forces and aid their information gathering and criminal identification processes.
But technology and privacy experts say the benefits are not clear and that they could breach people’s privacy, and that without data protection laws, there is little clarity on how the data is stored, who can access it and for what purpose.
The technology is also plagued with issues of accuracy, particularly in identifying darker-skinned women, non-binary people and those from ethnic minorities.
The Delhi Police, in 2018, reported that its trial facial recognition system had an accuracy rate of 2%. The Ministry of Women and Child Development later said the system could not accurately distinguish between boys and girls.
“We must question the efficacy of this solution and the dependence on digital infrastructure to solve socio-technical challenges,” said Ashali Bhandari, a senior urban planner at Tandem Research in Goa.
“It’s ironic that shielding women from unwanted attention involves watching them constantly through digital technology networks. It’s not empowering women, rather it promotes the idea that women need to be watched for their own safety,” she said.
At least 50 facial recognition systems are in place across India, and the government plans to roll out a nationwide network. Dozens of cities have also introduced mobile safety apps.
Meanwhile, a rape is reported every 15 minutes, according to government data, and crimes against women nearly doubled to more than 405,000 cases in 2019, compared to about 203,000 in 2009.
TRADING PRIVACY
There is a growing backlash in the United States and in Europe against the use of facial recognition technology. But in Asia, it is being widely deployed.
Under Pakistan’s Safe Cities project, thousands of CCTV cameras have been installed in Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar.
Images from cameras in Islamabad of couples traveling in vehicles were leaked in 2019, while women at Balochistan University said they were blackmailed and harassed by officials with images from campus CCTV cameras the same year.
Following the gang rape last year on a highway with CCTVs, the Punjab Police launched a mobile safety app that collects the user’s personal information when she sends an alert to the police during an emergency.
That includes access to phone contacts and media files — leaving women vulnerable to further harassment, say privacy rights groups.
“Technological interventions that seek to increase surveillance of women in order to ‘protect’ them often replicate familial and societal surveillance of women,” said Shmyla Khan, director of research and policy at the Digital Rights Foundation.
“Women cannot be expected to trade privacy for vague assurances of safety without proper mechanisms, and transparency on the part of the government,” she added.
The Punjab Police did not respond to a request for comment.
‘SURVEILLANCE-CENTRIC PROJECT’
The Indian cities of Chennai, Hyderabad and Delhi are among the top 10 cities with the most surveillance globally, according to virtual private network firm Surfshark.
Chennai, which topped the index with 657 CCTV cameras per sq km compared to Beijing at the bottom with 278, is implementing the Safe City project by mapping high-crime areas and tracking buses and taxis with CCTV networks and “smart” poles.
“The government did not want to just do more surveillance, but look at it more holistically to address challenges women face at home, on their commute, at work and in public places,” said Arun Moral, a director at consulting firm Deloitte, which is advising the city on the project.
“There is a tech intervention for every challenge.”
An audit of Delhi’s Safe City project last year noted that the efficacy of cameras to prevent crimes against women had not been studied. Only about 60% of CCTVs installed were functional, and fewer than half were being monitored.
The “heavily surveillance-centric project of Delhi Police needs to be reviewed,” the audit said.
Yet there has been little progress on tackling violence against women with measures such as education and increasing the numbers of female police officers, who make up less than 10% of the force, according to official data.
“Authorities think technology alone can solve problems, and there is little scrutiny of the so-called solutions because they are being sold on safety,” said Jain at the Internet Freedom Foundation.
“Authorities — even your own family — can cite safety as a justification for more surveillance because safety is a bigger concern than privacy,” she said.
From Lahore to Lucknow, crimes against women spur more surveillance
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From Lahore to Lucknow, crimes against women spur more surveillance
- Use of technologies has raised alarm among privacy experts and activists who say the increased surveillance can hurt women even more
- Under Pakistan’s Safe Cities project, thousands of CCTV cameras have been installed in Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar
Pakistani naval ships visit Kuwait and Iraq, conduct joint exercises in Arabian Gulf
- Pakistan regularly holds joint exercises with allies to increase synergy and deter piracy, drug trafficking and other illicit activities
- The visit of Pakistan Navy flotilla to Kuwait and Iraq will further enhance the existing diplomatic and naval relations, the military says
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani naval ships have visited Kuwaiti and Iraqi ports to conduct joint exercises with both navies in the Arabian Gulf, the Pakistani military said on Sunday, adding the visits would enhance existing relations.
Pakistan Navy Ships (PNS) Rasadgar and Azmat visited the Kuwaiti port of Al-Shuwaikh, while Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) ship Dasht visited the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
On arrival at both ports, Pakistani diplomatic and host naval officials warmly welcomed the Pakistan Navy ships and the mission commander, along with commanding officers of the ships, held meetings with the naval leadership of both countries.
“Later, naval exercises were also conducted together with Kuwaiti and Iraqi navy ships,” the ISPR said in a statement. “The exercises were aimed at improving mutual cooperation between the navies and developing the capacity for joint operations.”
During the meetings, naval officials discussed matters of mutual interest, cooperation in maritime security and communication, according to the statement.
“The visit of Pakistan Navy flotilla to Kuwait and Iraq will further enhance the existing diplomatic and naval relations with friendly countries,” it read.
Pakistan Navy regularly collaborates and holds joint military exercises with allies to increase synergy, promote regional peace and stability and deter piracy, drug trafficking and other illicit maritime activities.
This month, Pakistan Navy conducted joint naval exercises and drills with Royal Oman ship ‘Alseeb.’ The bilateral naval exercise, “Samar Al-Tayeb,” is conducted regularly between the navies of the two nations.
In July, Pakistan Navy also assumed command of a multinational task force responsible for ensuring maritime security in the southeastern waters of the Middle East, operating in the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman and Gulf of Aden.
Pakistan’s army vows to hunt down militants a day after attack kills 16 soldiers
- Pakistan has struggled to contain militancy in its northwest since a fragile truce with Pakistani Taliban broke down in 2022
- Islamabad has frequently blamed the surge in militancy on militants operating out of Afghanistan, Kabul denies the allegation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, on Sunday vowed to hunt down militants waging attacks against security forces and their facilitators, the Pakistani military said, a day after the killing of 16 soldiers in an ambush in the country’s northwest.
Gen. Munir said this during his visit to the South Waziristan district in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, which has been battling a surge in militancy.
The visit came a day after the killing of 16 soldiers and eight militants during a gunfight in South Waziristan after a group of militants ambushed an army outpost in Makeen area.
Interacting with officers and troops, the army chief commended their resilience and steadfastness in the face of militancy, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
“The army chief highlighted that the courage, resilience, and unyielding determination of Pakistan’s armed forces are the cornerstone of the nation’s sovereignty,” the ISPR said in a statement
“COAS reaffirmed Pakistan Army’s commitment to pursuing Fitna Al Khwarij [militants] which shall continue to be hunted down till its elimination along with the facilitator, abettors and financier who will be made to pay the price for their nefarious activities against the state.”
The brazen raid on the outpost near the border with Afghanistan was claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, who said it was staged “in retaliation for the martyrdom of our senior commanders.”
The development came days after the Pakistani military said it had killed 11 militants in separate operations in KP’s Tank, North Waziristan and Mohmand districts.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militancy in KP since November 2022, when a fragile truce between the Pakistani Taliban and the government in Islamabad broke down.
Islamabad has frequently accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering and supporting militant groups that launch cross-border attacks. Afghan officials deny involvement, insisting Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter of Islamabad.
On Saturday, the Pakistani military also urged the Taliban administration in Kabul to ensure robust border management after a group of militants tried to infiltrate from Afghanistan, leading to a skirmish that left four militants and a soldier dead a day earlier.
Pakistan national airline aims to expand its fleet to improve flight operations
- PIA has 23% of Pakistan’s domestic aviation market, but its 34-plane fleet has failed to compete globally
- The airline has faced a lack of direct flights, despite having agreements with 87 countries and key landing slots
KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is aiming to expand its fleet to improve flight operations, the national flag carrier said on Sunday, following the addition of another Airbus 320.
PIA has 23 percent of Pakistan’s domestic aviation market, but its 34-plane fleet has failed to compete with carriers internationally.
The Pakistani airline has been facing a lack of direct flights, despite having agreements with 87 countries and key landing slots.
“The 11th Airbus 320 AP-BOM has been inducted into the operational fleet with new engines. The aircraft was rolled out from the hangar with new paint and cabin decoration,” PIA said in a statement.
“PIA’s operational fleet will also include long-grounded Boeing 777 and ATR aircraft in the next few days.”
The fleet revival will greatly improve the expansion of PIA’s network and product quality, according to the statement. From this week, PIA has also introduced an in-flight Internet system in domestic flights, which is gaining popularity among passengers.
The airline said strict adherence to flight schedules, providing safe and high-quality products to passengers was its top priority.
“PIA’s flight schedule has achieved 90 percent regularity,” PIA Chief Executive Officer Khurram Mushtaq said. “Measures for operational fleet expansion and product improvement are part of our commitment.”
Earlier this month, PIA said it would resume flights to Europe in January, starting with Paris, after the EU aviation regulator lifted a ban on the national flag carrier.
PIA’s authorization to operate in the EU was suspended in June 2020 over concerns about the ability of Pakistani authorities and its Civil Aviation Authority to ensure compliance with international aviation standards.
The ban cost the loss-making airline 40 billion rupees ($144 million) annually in revenue. Pakistan’s attempts to privatize PIA fell flat this year, when it received only a single offer, well below its asking price.
Pakistani province launches helicopter service to evacuate people, dispatch aid to clashes-hit district
- Clashes between Sunni, Shia tribes have killed over 100 people in Kurram since last month
- On Friday, authorities set a deadline of Feb. 1 for the warring tribes to surrender weapons
PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province has launched a helicopter service to evacuate people and transport aid to Kurram district that has been hit by sectarian clashes in recent weeks, officials said on Sunday.
Kurram, a tribal district of around 600,000 near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan where federal and provincial authorities have traditionally exerted limited control, has been a flashpoint for sectarian tensions between Shia and Sunni tribes for decades.
Fresh clashes that erupted last month have killed more than a hundred people, triggering a humanitarian crisis with reports of starvation, lack of medicine and oxygen shortages following the blocking of the main highway connecting Kurram’s main city of Parachinar to the provincial capital of Peshawar.
In response to the problems being faced by residents, the KP administration has been facilitating travel between Parachinar and Peshawar. On Sunday, two flights evacuated 27 individuals as well as carried 16 government staffers and members of a tribal council, which has been striving to achieve peace, to Kurram.
“There is no fare involved in transportation of people or medicines via the helicopter, rather it is a voluntary service by the KP government to meet the emergency situation,” Nisar Muhammad Khan, a KP government official, told Arab News.
The helicopter service was also being used to dispatch medicines to Parachinar. A day ago, 53 individuals, including 14 patients, were shifted to Peshawar from Kurram via helicopter, according to the provincial authorities.
A third flight was scheduled to bring people stranded in the Tal area back to Parachinar, while five more flights were expected to relocate over a hundred people on Sunday, according to the provincial government.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s office said the government had so far dispatched 1,850 kilograms of medical supplies to Kurram, assuring that it would mobilize all resources to ease problems of the people and ensure durable peace in the region.
The development comes days after the KP authorities set a deadline of Feb. 1 for warring Sunni and Shia tribes in the district to surrender all weapons and dismantle their bunkers to stem sectarian clashes in the region.
The decision was made at a meeting of the KP apex committee, which comprises civilian and military officials, to discuss a sustainable solution to the issue. It allowed the launch of a special air service for temporary evacuation from some parts of Kurram to protect people’s lives, according to the apex committee declaration.
“The agreement outlines that both sides will submit a detailed action plan within 15 days for voluntary submission of weapons,” read a declaration issued after the apex committee meeting.
“All weapons are to be deposited with the local administration by February 1. Additionally, it was decided that all bunkers in the area will be dismantled by the same deadline.”
In the meantime, land routes to the area would be opened intermittently on humanitarian grounds and a mechanism was put in place for secure transportation, according to the statement.
“Personnel of police and Frontier Corps will jointly provide security to the convoys,” it read.
Last month’s clashes erupted after rival tribes attacked convoys of passengers on the Parachinar-Peshawar road, which were followed by attacks on each other’s villages.
The apex committee asked both sides to avoid any violent action in the future to keep the land route safe and open at all times, hoping that the parties would fully cooperate with the government for a lasting solution to the issue.
Champions Trophy preparations in full swing as Karachi stadium upgradation nears completion
- PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi says the National Stadium will be ready well before the ICC tournament
- He says the PCB is improving facilities for Pakistani cricket fans to ensure they have a better experience
ISLAMABAD: Preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 are progressing rapidly, with the upgradation of Karachi’s National Stadium nearing completion, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Sunday during a visit to the venue.
The tournament, scheduled for February 2025, has been at the center of controversy following India's reluctance to play in Pakistan due to strained political ties.
The International Cricket Council resolved the impasse by approving a hybrid model, allowing India’s matches to be held at neutral venues while other teams play in Pakistan. The decision ensured India’s participation while retaining Pakistan as the official host.
“Remarkable progress has been made in a very short time,” Naqvi was quoted in a PCB statement. “The upgradation of the National Stadium will be completed well before the Champions Trophy tournament.”
During the visit, Naqvi reviewed ongoing projects, including the installation of new seats in enclosures, enhanced parking facilities for 2,700 vehicles and finishing work on the stadium building.
He also instructed officials to expedite the installation of LED lights and scoreboards.
“We are improving facilities for cricket fans to ensure they have a better experience,” he added.
The PCB is under pressure to ensure the country is ready to host the major ICC tournament.
Security concerns and political tensions had previously kept high-profile international cricket events away, but recent improvements in safety and infrastructure have bolstered Pakistan’s case as a venue.
Praising the rapid progress at the National Stadium, Naqvi lauded the project team for their dedication.
“I congratulate the entire team for their outstanding and swift work,” he said.
The Champions Trophy is seen as a pivotal moment for Pakistan cricket, with the PCB aiming to deliver a world-class tournament to reaffirm the country’s ability to host international events successfully.
