Punjab has introduced a digital monitoring system for major shrines across the province. Provincial Minister for Auqaf and Religious Affairs Chaudhry Shafay Hussain inaugurated a modern Command and Control Room at the Auqaf House in Lahore.
In the first phase, the new control room will digitally monitor four shrines each in Lahore and Multan.
Officials said the second phase will add eight more shrines from across Punjab to the monitoring system.
After inaugurating the facility, Chaudhry Shafay Hussain reviewed the digital monitoring system through the Command and Control Room. Senior officials, including Auqaf Secretary Dr. Ehsan Bhutta, the additional secretary, the director general of religious affairs and directors of the Auqaf Organization, were also present.
Speaking at the event, Chaudhry Shafay Hussain called the new Command and Control Room an important step toward improving the management and security of shrines across Punjab.
He said the facility would eventually allow the government to digitally monitor shrines throughout the province. Modern surveillance cameras have been installed at the control room, and the minister directed officials to connect the monitored shrines with the relevant police stations.
He also instructed officials to ensure reliable internet service at the control room for uninterrupted monitoring.
The minister said the Auqaf Department was also working to digitize its operations, including digitally mapping and maintaining records of all Auqaf properties.
He said digitizing Auqaf land would help identify and recover properties that have been illegally occupied. He stressed that every inch of Auqaf land would be recovered from encroachers.
Chaudhry Shafay praised Auqaf Secretary Dr. Ehsan Bhutta and his team for their efforts to introduce reforms in the department. He said their work had improved the department’s operations and helped significantly increase its revenue.
Dr. Bhutta briefed the minister on the Command and Control Room and the reforms introduced in the department.
He said the control room would operate around the clock, with staff working in three shifts. He added that personnel assigned to the facility had received specialized training for one week.
