‘Harassment against women a challenge for police’

Rawalpindi RPO says police committed to sending culprits behind bars

RAWALPINDI:

Rawalpindi division Regional Police Officer (RPO) Imran Ahmar said on Saturday that incidents of harassment, violence and abuse against women were a challenge for the district police but officers were working with devotion to ensure the culprits were sent behind the bars.

He was addressing the last session of the five-day workshop organised at Police Lines Headquarters in collaboration with Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) to impart training to the lady victim support officers of Anti-Women Harassment and Violence Cell.

The RPO expressed the hope the woman victim support officers will implement practically what they learned during the workshop.

The RPO told informed the participants that Rawalpindi police are pursuing a zero-tolerance policy against violence, abuse and harassment of women. The Anti-Women Harassment and Violence Cell and Protection of Transgender Reporting Centre are providing services round the clock, he said.

Read Anti-harassment, violence cell set up

The police officer also distributed certificates to 45 victim support officers who attended the workshop and received modern training to help the victims.

FJMU Vice-Chancellor Saima Hamad appreciated the workshop which, she said, would help the woman victim support officers to extend help to the victims more efficiently. “Women and children are vulnerable members of society and they should be provided with all support in case they become victims of any crime,” she said.

The workshop was organised to impart training to the police officers and increase awareness and capacity of the victim support officers for legal, social and psychological support of the affected women as per the requirements of modern times.

Experts and researchers imparted training to the victim support officers to enable them to help women victims in legal, psychological and social aspects. The woman victim support officers of all the police stations of Rawalpindi and the victim support officer of the transgender protection centre took part in the workshop.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Investigation, Syed Ghazanfar Ali Shah, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Legal, Shazia Fazli and other senior officers were present.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2021.