Unflinching spirit: Fighting stereotypes with valiance

Rafia Qaseem Baig joined police force as constable despite having two master’s degrees

PESHAWAR: Over 600 women are serving in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police department in a variety of posts from junior clerk to deputy superintendent. At least nine women are currently working in Central Police Office Peshawar among 3,500 men.

The stakes are high for police personnel in the province. If statistics are to be believed, five police personnel were killed in 2016 while 12 others were injured in militant attacks across the province.

However, Rafia Qaseem Baig chose to look beyond these security concerns and decided to become a constable. The decision was prompted by a desire to break through the crushing conservative sensibilities of a male-dominated society and rise above the odds.

Although she has two master’s degrees, Baig chooses to serve as a constable.

Undeterred spirit

Baig has a very direct “do or die” approach in life. She appeared for her medical test on December 7, 2009 – the day terrorists targeted a sessions court in Peshawar.

“I entered the gate and, in another five minutes, a huge blast occurred at the gate,” Baig told The Express Tribune. “My mother asked me to leave and go home but I was even more determined to pass the test and get an appointment.” Through her unstinted commitment and resolve, she was selected and hired the very same day.

“In January 2010, in order to prove the existence of police force in Mattani, I was given a long gun machine and asked to use it,” she said.

Without any weapons training, Baig held an LGM for the first time and shot at her target.

“That was when I realised that I had to continue this job,” she emphasised.

Formidable task

Baig belongs to a highly educated family. After completing her master’s degree in International Relations, she pursued another master’s degree in Economics. The police constable then worked at International Rescue Committee where she developed a passion for law and enrolled in an LLB programme that is currently under way.



Given her academic qualifications, Baig was offered jobs in many companies and non-government organisations. However, she chose to remain true to exploring the field that she was genuinely interested in and that challenged her adequately.

In 2009, Bashir Bilour announced vacancies for police posts in K-P when extremists were overtly targeting all security forces.

“That was the time when very few people chose this high-risk job,” she said.

Baig’s dream of performing a challenging and formidable job finally came true. Even though she was overqualified, Baig opted for the position of a woman police constable.

Expertise

After her appointment, late FC Commandant Sifwat Ghayur issued directives to Baig to conduct her first training sessions in areas including Adezai, Michni and Salman Khel in the city. These were the declared red zones at that time.

Baig spent 10 days patrolling these localities with a large number of male police personnel. Unfortunately, she missed her nine-month training in Police Training School Hangu due to personal reasons.

She was also the only female member of an investigation team that rescued Lady Reading Hospital physician Dr Intikhab Alam 48 hours after his abduction in 2010.

Baig’s duties include body searches of women, looking after accused women, serving as SMS registration officer, compiling and lodging complaints and working as a moharrar.

Remaining steadfast

According to Baig, one of the major problems that she constantly battles with is the inherent patriarchal system prevalent in the police department.

She said, “Among men, one has to work like a man. Being a woman has its own charm, grace and dignity but incorporating all that is tough at work.”

She said she deals with everyone politely and that is perhaps why guards at CPO salute her each time she enters the building.

“My job, occupation and my nature demands respect from society,” Baig said.

Even though her family supported her in the beginning, they now advise her to leave this profession and apply for jobs that are more lucrative and make better use of her academic skills.

Baig said she only has one reply for them, “The police force is not a profession. It’s a passion and inspiration for those who have a spirit of devotion for the country.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2016.