Earlier, the helpline was inaugurated by DIG Hyderabad at the 15 police centre adjacent to the regional bureaucracy's headquarters at Shahbaz Building. DESIGN: ESSA MALIK
"The helpline aims to help complainants from all parts of Sindh," advocate Rafia Bangash, an ABAD official told the launching ceremony held at Indus Hotel. "The women in need of legal aid, counseling and referral services can approach the helpline," he added. Those who want emergency police help can also access the helpline which will immediately relay their complaint to the concerned district's police.
A team of four persons, including Bangash, a female coordinator and a female counselor as well as a police ASI from Rescue 15 will attend to the complaints on 0310-0001515 from 9am to 5pm everyday. A panel of eight volunteer lawyers including Sindh Bar Council's member advocate Fazal Qadir Memon and Sindh High Court Bar Association Hyderabad president Ayaz Tunio are part of the legal aid team. A doctor, a psychologist and prominent lawyers from many districts of Sindh have so far stepped forward for the initiative, according to Bangash, whose NGO is already running a shelter home for women in Hyderabad.
"The police ought to move two steps ahead of the segments of civil society which are endeavouring to curb gender inequality," said DIG Hyderabad Khadim Hussain Rind, while speaking at the ceremony. ASP Suhai Aziz, sharing her experience of dealing with the cases of victimised women, said such victims prefer counselling and even legal help from people of their gender. The DIG and ASP both assured ABAD of providing complete police cooperation in running the helpline.
Earlier, the helpline was inaugurated by DIG Hyderabad at the 15 police centre adjacent to the regional bureaucracy's headquarters at Shahbaz Building.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 11th, 2016.
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