Abbottabad women police station functional after 28 years
The police station was opened 28 years ago by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, but has ceased to function since 2002.
“The women’s police station has been made operational. An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Fahmeeda Bibi was assigned to the post of station officer because a female inspector and sub-inspector was not available. A senior female officer was also sent as muharer along with all support personnel, including the female police officer, ”Abbottabad District Police Officer (DPO) Sajjad Khan told the news sources.
The official added that three ASI women, five HCs and 56 officers were posted at the women’s police station. A patrol car was provided to respond immediately to a complaint.
“The police station will now take and investigate cases, alongside raids on domestic violence, family disputes, property issues and other cases involving women,” the DSB said.
There is currently a landline telephone number at the police station, but a UAN number will soon be provided for easy access.
“The 13 police departments in the district will continue to prioritize cases involving women. Women’s counters have already been set up in these police stations,” the Abbottabad Police Chief said.
He added that a team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Nazia Noreen had been tasked with visiting girls’ schools and colleges to raise awareness about women’s rights and the role of the police.
The women’s police station is a step towards strengthening the role of women and gender balance in the CCP’s police force.
Abbottabad Women’s Police Station was the first in the province to be opened on May 8, 1994 by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. But like all other women’s police stations, it has also become dysfunctional.
“Until 2002, a total of 161 FIRs and 80 daily reports were stored in the PS, but since then it has stopped working. It was reopened for proper policing on September 21,” Sajjad Khan said.
The Communist Party police plan to increase the proportion of female police officers to at least 10% in the coming years. Recently, a senior policewoman, Ayesha Gul, was deployed as AIG Gender Equality, while another policewoman, Sonia Shamroz, is the district police officer commanding the force in the remote Chitral region.
A few months ago, the Metropolitan Police announced the establishment of a Gender Protection Service by upgrading the Women’s Police Station to create a friendly working environment and improve its operational capabilities.
It was said that the new unit will have a hotline and a policewoman trained in victim assistance. He must be connected to Helpline 15 and the BOLO helpline of the social welfare office.
An official said the facility is the nerve center of the facility for all women’s offices at Asaan Insaf Marakiz in Peshawar. Also, a senior official announced the establishment of a day care center for the children of female police officers on Malik Saad Shaheed police lines, a unique idea implemented in Balochistan and other police forces.
The KP has set up female police stations in Peshawar and Abbottabad. Established over two decades ago, the Peshawar facility has yet to operate independently like other police stations.
The female police officers recruited by the province as assistant and police sub-inspectors were mainly responsible for office work, road work, the organization of awareness seminars or support for the police during raids. Their integration turned out to be a mere facade.
Abbottabad women police station functional after 28 years
None of them could take part in active police work or lead raids and operations like male colleagues, although many were promoted to SP within months. Only once was a woman seconded as station chief to the Gulberg police station, again additionally for a few weeks.
However, the women who have been recruited as officers of the Pakistan Police Force have headed a district and several sub-divisions in different parts of the province in recent years.
