15 Emergency Helpline received 20 million ‘irrelevant’ calls in 2023: PSCA

LAHORE: In a recent announcement, the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) disclosed its annual performance statistics for the year 2023, shedding light on the operational efficacy and impact of its various initiatives.

Remarkably, the 15 emergency helpline managed to process 2.5 million calls that genuinely required assistance, contrasting with an astonishing 20 million calls categorised as irrelevant.

The specifics regarding the nature of these ‘irrelevant’ calls were not explicitly disclosed by the PSCA authorities.

The Emergency Helpline, consisting of 15 helpline services, witnessed a substantial influx of over 27.5 million calls.

Among these, 2.5 million cases were identified as legitimate concerns, prompting the dispatch control centre to generate cases for immediate action.

Regrettably, a staggering 20 million calls were deemed irrelevant during this period.

The Electronic Data Analysis Centre played a pivotal role by providing 4,600 pieces of audio and video electronic evidence to aid police investigation officers.

Virtual Patrol Officers, leveraging the Safe City cameras, swiftly responded to over 1,500 instances of suspicious persons and activities.

The PSCA Lost and Found Centre played a commendable role in the recovery of more than 1,000 vehicles, including motorbikes, cars, and autorickshaws, subsequently returning them to their rightful owners.

In the realm of media management, the Media Management Centre flagged over 2,500 social media pages to law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

Furthermore, the PSCA media centre actively disseminated over 2,600 campaign messages through official social media channels, addressing critical issues such as driving licence procedures, women’s safety apps, road safety measures, and the effective utilisation of the 15 emergency helpline.

Notably, the PSCA also played a vital role in ensuring the security of religious rituals, including the Urs of Syed Ali Hajvery and Chehlum congregations.

As the PSCA continues to expand its services and collaboration with LEAs and other stakeholders, citizens are strongly advised to utilise the 15 helpline in case of emergencies or to report any illegal activities within the city.

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