K-P SSP nominated for award by Int'l Association of Women Police

Sonia Shamrooz worked to prevent violence, abuse against women in Chitral and help them with inheritance matters

PESHAWAR:

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sonia Shamrooz Khan from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has been nominated for an award by the International Association of Women Police for her excellent policing and valuable services toward the prevention of violence against women.

Sonia will be the first Asian and second Muslim woman to receive the Police Officer of the Year award in the association’s 60-year history.

The SPP performed valuable services in reducing the trend of violence and suicide among women in Chitral. One of her achievements was the establishment of the Women's Desk for inheritance rights of Chitrali women, which was appreciated at a global level.

Sonia Shamrose also received a Chevening Fellowship for human rights and better policing in the United Kingdom.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Sonia said that the nomination was an honour for her and the K-P police.

“The establishment of the women's desk was a good initiative to work on women's rights in the Chitral district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, to provide legal assistance to women, to reduce the difficulties of women who are victims of domestic disputes, and to help women suffering from poverty and local conflicts and outdated traditions,” she further said, adding that she was nominated for these services.

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Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police (IGP) Hayat Gandapur expressed his happiness at Sonia’s nomination for the global award and said that her efforts were appreciated all over the world.

He continued that the soft image of the K-P Police will be highlighted at a global level and that the country and the provincial police were proud.

The suicide rate in Chitral had been on the rise for the past few years, especially among women. To control the incidents of suicide among women, a special police desk was set up where women could go without any hesitation.

After the establishment of the desk, Sonia told The Express Tribune that the domestic problems of women in the district of Lower Chitral, having a population of 278,000, were increasing daily. With the special support desks, women no longer hesitate to speak out against any oppression or tyranny resulting in a dramatic reduction in suicides from January to June 2021 as only six incidents of suicide were reported.