Authorities have installed m tag readers and surveillance cameras at major entry and movement points across Islamabad as part of enhanced vehicle monitoring and security measures. According to officials the initiative is being implemented under the supervision of the Islamabad Safe City Authority with technical support from the Frontier Works Organisation and facilitation from the capital administration.
Police officials confirmed that m tag readers have been installed at eleven locations while surveillance cameras are operational at fourteen points across the city. These include Faizabad D Chowk Zero Point Ninth Avenue Bari Imam Marriott Hotel Margalla Iran Avenue Nadra Headquarters IJP Road G Fourteen N Five entry and other sensitive routes. Additional cameras have also been placed at the Foreign Office Bhara Kahu Bridge and E Nine entry.
The readers and cameras are connected to the Safe City Authority control system and are mounted on newly installed poles. The system scans vehicle registration plates and m tags simultaneously. In case of any mismatch or absence of an m tag an automatic alert is generated enabling authorities to take immediate action.
Officials stated that the technology will also identify vehicles operating without valid m tags. The move follows directives issued by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry who announced that no vehicle would be allowed to enter Islamabad without an m tag. The policy aims to enable complete monitoring of vehicle movement within the capital.
Approximately four hundred thousand to five hundred thousand vehicles operate daily on Islamabad roads while a large number enter from Rawalpindi and other cities. Authorities earlier tested automatic barriers at entry points but the experiment caused severe traffic congestion particularly at Faizabad leading to its withdrawal.
Despite challenges officials say efforts are underway to ensure mandatory m tag compliance without disrupting traffic flow. M tags are linked with verified vehicle and owner data making them more reliable than number plates which can be replaced or forged. The system strengthens surveillance supports law enforcement and enhances overall security in the federal capital.
