No less than men : Female cops equal to all tasks

IGP Temuri says they are trying to increase number of women in capital police

ISLAMABAD: With only 0.89 per cent of the national police force comprising women, Pakistan needs to do a lot more to make the force more inclusive.

This was stated by Inspector General of Islamabad Police Dr Sultan Azam Temuri on Thursday in a ceremony held to commemorate Women International Day.

He added that women were an integral part of every society and that no country can achieve its development goals without the participation of women.

While referring to the dismal ratio of women in the national police force, he pointed out that Islamabad performs better in this sector since women account for 2.5 per cent of the police force in the federal capital.

However, Dr Temuri said that he was not content at this figure and was striving to increase the ratio to 20 per cent, adding that they had conducted various campaigns to advertise for the recruitment of female police officers.

“Today, we have women in operations, counterterrorism force, anti-terrorist squad, special branch, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA),” Dr Temuri said, adding that they were also encouraging the recruitment of daughters of martyred police officers on the Shuhada quota — typically reserved for sons of fallen cops.

“I admire and commend contribution of women police officers in our police. I assure them that whatever is possible, Islamabad Police will do for their welfare so that these officers become role models for the society and inspire other women of our country to join the police force,” he added.

According to the United Nations, women must make up at least 20 per cent of the total police force.

“Pakistan needs to do a lot in this domain because it has only 0.89 per cent [of women in its force],” the IGP conceded, adding that, “Largest proportion are in operations and they are performing all the duties that their male colleagues perform.”

Women have a very diversified role in our societies, he said noting that they were “a mother, a sister, a housewife, a professional and a police officer.”

“She achieves all these roles through her sheer determination. And let me tell you that there is no force more powerful than a woman determined to rise.”

Temuri assured that women cops are provided equal opportunities for promotion and no gender-based bias is observed.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2018.