Officials from Islamabad Police have confirmed that surveillance cameras installed under Islamabad Safe City project were at one point operating with Israeli origin video analytics software. According to senior officials familiar with the matter, the software was used for a limited period and has not been active since October 2022. The disclosure came after recent questions about the origins of surveillance technology used in public safety systems. Officials stated that the application was used between June 2021 and October 2022 and was later discontinued once the licensing period ended.
The software involved is BriefCam, a video analytics platform designed to process and analyze large volumes of surveillance footage. It allows operators to search recorded video, generate summaries of events, and detect patterns by extracting metadata from camera feeds. In surveillance environments the platform works on top of existing camera networks and video management systems, analyzing either live streams or recorded footage to identify people, vehicles, objects, and other attributes. The cameras installed for Islamabad Safe City project were supplied by Chinese technology company Huawei and the BriefCam software came pre installed as part of the system. Questions about the system emerged after international media coverage surrounding the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Reports published by Financial Times described how traffic and surveillance cameras in Tehran were used to gather intelligence related to his movements. Although the software mentioned in that case was not BriefCam, it was also described as having Israeli origins, which prompted renewed scrutiny regarding surveillance technology used in other countries.
BriefCam itself originated from research conducted at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The technology is based on a computer vision technique known as video synopsis developed by Professor Shmuel Peleg. The intellectual property was patented through Yissum, the university’s technology transfer company, and later licensed for commercialization through BriefCam. In 2018 the company was acquired by global imaging manufacturer Canon. Even after the acquisition, BriefCam retained its headquarters in the Israeli city of Modiin located about 35 kilometers from Tel Aviv. Officials from Safe City Authority Islamabad confirmed that the software was deployed only after it had already become part of Canon’s technology portfolio. A director level official stated that the software was used during a testing period under services procured from Canon Japan and was integrated through Milestone, a Danish video management company acquired by Canon in 2014. According to the official, the system was used for roughly one year and later removed once the license expired. Another government official with direct knowledge of the system confirmed that the usage period lasted around 16 months, beginning in June 2021 and ending in October 2022. When asked about reports suggesting the software remained active in 2023, the official said those claims were likely based on outdated information.
The disclosure has also drawn attention to broader governance issues surrounding surveillance technology used in public sector projects. When analytics platforms are integrated with large scale camera networks, they can significantly expand capabilities beyond standard video recording. Systems such as BriefCam allow operators to perform automated searches, generate alerts, and identify patterns across large amounts of video data. This raises questions about how such systems are selected, deployed, documented, and eventually retired. Officials involved in the Safe City project indicated that the software was discontinued after the license expired, but experts note that transparency and documentation remain important when advanced analytics tools are used in public safety infrastructure.
The situation also reflects challenges linked to complex technology supply chains. In many large surveillance projects, camera hardware, analytics software, and system management tools may originate from different companies operating in separate countries. Ownership of these technologies can also change over time due to acquisitions or mergers. Even when camera hardware remains unchanged, updates in the software layer can introduce new regulatory, reputational, or diplomatic considerations. Analysts note that the key public concern often centers on accountability and oversight rather than the brand of the technology. Video analytics platforms can make recorded footage far more searchable and actionable, increasing the importance of clear legal frameworks governing data use, retention periods, and access controls.
Operational considerations also arise when such tools are discontinued. If an analytics platform is removed without being replaced, it may reduce certain automated monitoring capabilities. Alternatively, the system may already contain other tools that perform similar functions within the broader infrastructure. Officials have not provided detailed information on whether another analytics platform replaced BriefCam after 2022. The episode highlights the importance of regular security and privacy audits in public surveillance systems along with procurement policies that address software origin, lifecycle management, and verification of system shutdown once licenses expire.
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