Breaking barriers: ‘Women’s block, day care centre will soon be set up’

Malakand DIG Azad Khan says role of women vital for effective policing

MINGORA:

Malakand DIG Azad Khan on Saturday said a women’s block and a day care centre will soon be set up at the Swat Police Training Centre.

Addressing a seminar at a local hotel in Swat, Khan said the government is keen on increasing the number of female police officers in the province. He underscored the role of women in effectively policing a multidimensional society that is recovering from the trauma of militancy.

The symposium was put together by NGOs Rozan, HUJRA and COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Abbottabad to discuss a research project titled ‘Policing Challenges and Opportunities in Post-Conflict Swat: Needs of Women, Children and Minorities’.

The research was jointly conducted by the aforementioned institutions to evaluate the onset of recovery from militancy in Swat Valley and the role of law-enforcement agencies. District police officials, social activists and a large number of civil society members were in attendance.

Recommendations tabled by the researchers state the government should ensure the psychological well-being of police officials of the valley. The overarching political influence should be abandoned and the gap between citizens and law-enforcement agencies should be reduced in order to curb crime.

The department should have no glass ceiling for women officers who should be posted on decision-making positions.

Rabta-Police Programme coordinator Syed Safi Peerzada said although police have reclaimed its writ in the valley, there remains the need to rebuild the department to enable it to counter urbanisation challenges.

COMSATS lecturer Syeda Rida-e-Zainab expanded upon cultural barriers that discourage women from joining the police force.

Lawyer Humaira Shaukat said most women find it difficult to register complaints with the police. “Women officers can lessen the communication gap and tackle issues effectively,” she noted. Professor Radisham, a Sikh representative, was of the view that the police department should have a quota for minorities.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2015.