Punjab Police Introduces Body Cameras to Boost Transparency and Curb Corruption

Punjab has begun rolling out body-worn cameras for police personnel in a major technology-driven initiative aimed at improving transparency, strengthening accountability and reducing complaints of corruption and misconduct.

The project was formally rolled out in Lahore on September 15, 2026, on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. Personnel from Punjab Police, Punjab Highway Patrol, Dolphin Force and the traffic police are expected to use the cameras while performing field duties.

How Will the Body Cameras Work

The body-worn cameras are designed to continuously support police monitoring during field operations and interactions with citizens. According to details released about the project, the devices include audio and video recording capabilities, photography functions, built-in storage and communication features. They will also be connected with Smart Safe City systems operating in 43 cities across Punjab. This integration is expected to allow district Safe City control rooms to monitor police activity in real time.

The cameras also include features such as facial-recognition technology and automatic vehicle number-plate reading, which could assist officers in identifying suspects and vehicles during operations. Emergency threat alerts, push-to-talk communication and an SOS function are also part of the system. At the end of a shift, officers will return their cameras to designated docking stations installed at police stations. Recorded information will then be transferred from the devices and securely stored.

Can Body Cameras Help to Reduce Corruption

One of the main objectives of the initiative is to make interactions between police officers and citizens more transparent.

Body-camera footage could provide an independent record of incidents at checkpoints, during traffic stops and other police encounters. This may help authorities investigate complaints involving alleged bribery, misconduct, misuse of authority or disputes between citizens and police personnel.

Punjab Police Inspector General Abdul Kareem earlier said that every police officer deployed at checkpoints would be required to wear a body camera. According to Punjab Police, the provincial government allocated Rs12 billion for the body-camera initiative, while the first consignments of cameras had already started arriving by early September.

The body-camera programme is part of a wider package of policing reforms that includes Safe Cities technology, automated systems, panic buttons and other digital monitoring measures. Punjab Police has said departmental proceedings are also being taken against personnel facing corruption and misconduct complaints.

Greater Accountability for Police and Citizens

Body cameras can also protect police personnel from false accusations by providing video evidence of what happened during an interaction. At the same time, officers knowing that encounters are being recorded may have an additional incentive to follow procedures and maintain professional conduct.

However, body cameras alone cannot guarantee the elimination of corruption. Their effectiveness will depend on how consistently officers use them, how securely footage is stored, who can access recordings and whether violations captured on camera result in proper investigation and accountability.

Clear policies regarding privacy, data retention and access to footage will therefore remain important as the programme expands.

A Step Towards Technology-Driven Policing

The Punjab government says the initiative is intended to modernise law enforcement while increasing public confidence in the police.

With cameras linked directly to Safe City control rooms, authorities will have greater ability to monitor operations and review incidents using recorded evidence. The system may prove particularly useful at police checkpoints, during traffic enforcement and in other situations where disputes between citizens and officers can occur.

Whether body cameras significantly reduce corruption will become clearer as the programme expands across Punjab and more officers begin using the technology. For now, the initiative represents an important shift toward recorded, technology-based and more closely monitored policing in the province.