Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and his Punjab counterpart Maryam Nawaz have agreed to strengthen Safe City projects in Balochistan through joint initiatives, institutional cooperation and technical support to bring them in line with modern security requirements. According to an official statement issued on Wednesday, Maryam directed the relevant authorities to extend institutional support to strengthen the Balochistan Safe City Authority in response to a request from Bugti. Both provinces have also agreed to enhance security monitoring systems, technical collaboration and the exchange of expertise through a joint venture between their respective Safe City authorities. The understanding was reached during a meeting of the Balochistan Safe City Authority, chaired by Chief Minister Bugti. Additional Chief Secretary Home Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat briefed the meeting on the progress of ongoing projects, saying work on Safe City schemes was under way in nine cities across the province. Director General Punjab Safe City Authority Ahsan Younas said the Punjab authority would provide training, capacity-building support and advanced technical assistance to Balochistan's personnel to help operationalise and strengthen Safe City projects across the province. Addressing the participants of the meeting, Bugti said Safe City projects were not merely surveillance systems but constituted a modern security infrastructure designed to safeguard the lives and property of citizens. He emphasized that advanced technology and effective security monitoring were essential for maintaining law and order, preventing crime and ensuring a safe environment for residents. He said modern monitoring systems would assist law enforcement agencies in tracking the movement of criminal elements, identifying suspicious activities in a timely manner and improving emergency response capabilities.