Women constables at a ladies desk in Batgram. PHOTO: NNI
PESHAWAR:
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) police has established women complaint units in 56 police stations across the province where 116 lady constables have been deployed.
Units have been set up in police stations in Peshawar, Mardan, Abbottabad, Swat, Bannu, Nowshera and DI Khan. Staff desks have also been established in Mardan District Hospital, Mardan Medical Complex, Casualty Hospital Swat and Medical Complex Abbottabad to further facilitate women requiring legal assistance from the police.
“The units have been established upon the directives of K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak. Eventually, such units will be set up in all police stations,” a police official told The Express Tribune. Of the 25 provincial districts, complaint centres have been set up in police stations across 18 districts. More units will be set up in the remaining seven districts in phases, he added.
The police official said these units will work in two shifts, from 8am to 8pm. The police, however, does not have enough female staff and a summary has been sent to the provincial government for additional recruitment in the coming days, he added. “Around 116 women have been deployed, but we are really short of female constables.” More women will be recruited to overcome the staff shortage.
“In the seven districts, including Tor Ghar and Kohistan, women complaint units will be set up in the second phase after more staff is recruited,” he said. The official claimed these steps are aimed at providing women legal help and an easy environment to lodge their complaints, adding this is a first for the province where women police officials will serve women. “This is a first step to change the thana culture in the province.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 25th, 2013.
COMMENTS (13)
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@Zoaib: It will be full of Spam in the coming days as Many countries have started and abandoned that system because anyone can lodge any complaint against anyone. Even you can go online and without verification can implicate your Neighbor with Murder and the FIR will be registered online against an Innocent Person. I can assure you that KPK government will reverse thise decision once fake cases will start to emerge in the coming months.
@Ezio Auditore Your are pretty ignorant my friend. Do you know when PMLN was formed ??. Stop lying and do some research before making comments. Also I have met many Pukhtoons and making fun of others and pointing at one Unique instance and then generalizing whole Ethnicity based on that instance is the favorite past time of Pukhtoons so i cannot blame your ignorance and your slander at all as it is your nature to do that.
@Khurram: After 25 years of Governing punjab by PMLn, we see these cases!! #RoshanPakistan punjab police http://www.pehchantv.com/video/index/6501/5/7#sthash.dwohddcE.gbpl
@Khurram, Online FIR is definitely something new and worth emulating for Punjab. Small step, but helps those wary of approaching police stations directly for whatever reasons. In addition, Punjab needs to focus on depoliticizing the police as KPK seems to be trying to (we'll know soon enough how successful it is).
@Zakir, I believe this is the job of PESCO which is under the federal government. Of course KPK gov will cooperate with them in any way possible using law enforcement agencies.
Nothing will be done in one Day. it is slow and steady process off course.
Not giving tham an A+ just yet but definitely an A for sincerity and effort. Lets hope it turns out well.
@Baloch Insafian: PTI have introduced nothing new so far. Punjab have women police stations and complaint centers for many years and even Punjab have Women Elite Commandos and Women Traffic wardens and Motorway Police Officers. So after setting up Women complaint centres and women constables now KPK should follow Punjab in terms of recruitment of women in Elite Police Units, Traffic wardons and in Motorway police units as well.
I wish PTI had won in whole of Pakistan, Lucky KPK to have reforms introduced in several fields!
Appears that the PTI govt. is sincere to implements its pledges.....great job