The Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) has decided to purchase drones to curb street crime and ensure swift tracking of criminals across Lahore.

The authority has allocated funds for the purchase of 10 drones and has also placed an order for docking drones.

Following the arrival of the first batch of drones, an additional 10 drones will be procured.

Officials said that after Lahore, drones will be gradually introduced across Punjab in different phases.

The initiative is aimed at making it harder for criminals to escape after committing crimes, as the drones will be used to chase and monitor suspects in real time.

The drones will be directly linked to the 15 emergency response system.

Upon receiving a call at the 15 helpline, the drones will automatically deploy to the reported location, officials added.

Each drone will be stationed on high-rise buildings within the jurisdiction of ten major police stations, with operational workstations also set up on rooftops.

Once a command is received, the drones will take flight automatically.

The officials said the drones will be capable of patrolling up to 15 kilometres and will cost between Rs2.2 million and Rs2.5 million each.

The PSCA believes that the use of advanced drone technology will significantly enhance police response and surveillance capabilities in the provincial capital.