KARACHI, Jan 22: Since we live in times of terror, the security of individuals and institutions is now foremost in people’s minds as seemingly nothing is immune. However, technology is increasingly being used to counter terrorism.

This was evident at Dawn’s anti-terrorism and disaster management expo, which started on Thursday at a local hotel, where modern gadgetry and technological innovations were on display as potential defences to minimise or prevent damage stemming from deliberate acts of violence and other disasters.

Around 25 firms are participating in the expo (which concludes on Friday), with approximately seven foreign exhibitors, while a variety of devices – ranging from smoke alarms to vehicle barriers – are on display.

Taking a round of the exhibition, one realised that several things that were hardly in general use perhaps a few decades back – walk-through metal detectors, closed-circuit television surveillance systems, etc – are now in use in practically every organisation that can afford them.

Many firms had samples on the floor, while others were playing videos or distributed brochures of the products they offer. There was a metal detector on display for civilian and military de-mining, while digital door locks and doors armed with wireless flash-card readers, primarily for hotels, could make keys obsolete at these buildings.

There were bullet-proof vests – in plain black and camouflage – while a vendor pointed out perhaps one of the most interesting products on display: a bomb blanket. The salesperson said that it was mainly for use at airports and claimed that if a suspected explosive device was discovered, covering oneself with the blanket would protect the wearer from the blast, though it was not reusable.

Walk-through gates – said to be installed at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi – were also displayed, as was a device to detect counterfeit currency or travel documents, for use at airports and banks.

Another very interesting item was the BRG (bullet resistant glass). Several exhibitors were offering BRG and security window films, but one particular firm had put up a before and after demo of their glass. The ‘after’ version had actually been shot at with a .30 bore gun, a rifle and a pistol, claimed the exhibitor. The bullets had been embedded in the glass and the feeling one got as one felt the area where the impact had occurred was simply chilling.

One company had displayed what seemed to be a replica of a barrier blast wall – topped with barbed wire – similar to the one put up outside the Islamabad Marriott. The brochure claimed that the wall could offer defence against vehicle bombs. Similar structures have been erected outside sensitive locations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as diplomatic, government and military installations in other parts of the world.

A gun-shot location system claimed to be able to detect where a shot was fired from, while industrial and fire safety equipment was also displayed. One security company even had a few guards standing alert in full battle gear, complete with bullet-proof vests, pistols, walkie-talkies, etc.

A small replica of a vehicle security barrier – complete with a toy car to demonstrate – was also on display, while the Sindh Police and Citizens-Police Liaison Committee had also set up stalls at the expo.