The system that will eventually be integrated with country’s border control - PISCES (Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System) and a forensic laboratory will help the investigators in their task.
The system having a central database at Islamabad is hooked up to remote stations in 52 districts of the country having access to 122,000 fingerprints of criminals that was being upgraded to 440,000 prints, providing top-of-the-line biometric identification technology.
Prime Minister Soomro said use of technology was vital for capacitybuilding of the police officials and to help them train better, investigate and track down the perpetrators in an efficient manner.
He stressed on the need to have a better working environment for the law enforcing personnel and said it was vital to keep them properly motivated.
The Prime Minister mentioned NADRA’s large database, which could be used by the new system of fingerprints kept with the banks and other institutions.
Soomro stressed broader involvement of the community, providing e-governance and online access to the police to effectively deal with criminals and terrorists.
He was also appreciative of the US assistance in the project and said the two countries would continue with intelligence sharing and collaboration in fighting crimes.
Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz Khan said there was a need to “re-invent” the police with greater interaction with the community. He said it was
important for police to enter a sort of service contract with the people to enhance their trust in them.
Secretary Interior Syed Kamal Shah, DG National Police Bureau Dr Shoaib Suddle, Deputy Chief of US Mission to Pakistan Peter Bodde, CEO of Interactive Group Shahid Mahmood and DG FIA Tariq Pervaiz gave details of the project.
The PAFIS project beginning in 2005, will enable the law enforcement agencies a quick comparison from the database, through fiber and satellite linkage, a task that otherwise took weeks or even a month.
Peter Bodde said the US State Department has provided US 13 million dollars for the project and the collaboration will continue for another year to provide reliable, on-line data.
He said it will “multiply the capability of law enforcement agencies” and was part of the US support to improve police service of Pakistan.
The Federal Investigative Agency is using Lockheed Martin’s fingerprint identification system to quickly identify suspected criminals. PAFIS is a variant of a similar systems used by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Department of Defense (DoD).
The remaining 80 districts will be connected to the Central Site in the 2nd phase beginning June this year.
The Automated Fingerprint Identification System will later be integrated with Police Record and Office Management Information System (PROMIS), National Forensic Science Agency and will be followed by provision of a nationwide Integrated Radio Communication System for Police.
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Quelle/Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, 25.01.2008
