Balochistan’s women police praised

US Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Armin Blome, on Tuesday commended the concerted efforts made to enhance the representation of women in the police force in Balochistan. He highlighted initiatives such as the establishment of gender desks in police stations and the expansion of facilities aimed at serving women and marginalized communities.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of Balochistan Police Training College in Islamabad, he said that “we celebrate the inauguration of the new Police Training College campus in Quetta, a four-year, $5.35 million partnership funded by the U.S. Embassy’s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Section”

The seven new and four renovated buildings not only triple the Police Training College’s capacity, but they also ensure new recruits and officers will receive the high-quality, skills-based training they need to deploy in some of Pakistan’s most challenging areas, he maintained, adding that with the completion of this new facility, the men and women trained at PTC Quetta will be far better prepared than their predecessors to address the tremendous risks and challenges they face every day in the line of duty.

“In addition, we have scheduled delivery of $900,000 worth of radio communication equipment and 35 mine detectors, and recently provided $700,000 worth of vehicles and $195,000 worth of blast suppression equipment, all of which will greatly enhance operations and security across the province,” he noted.

Beyond this training center, we have helped Pakistan secure its borders, fight narcotics trafficking, and combat terrorism. INL has provided lifesaving protective equipment, improved law enforcement training curriculum, built and upgraded police stations, and helped ensure gender-inclusive policing, he shared, adding that taken together, these actions make Pakistan safer, stronger, and more secure.

Last year, Balochistan Police officer Zarghoona Manzoor was recognized for a worldwide leadership award at an international conference for women police. Zarghoona, formerly a stay-at-home mother, joined the force after her husband was killed serving in the Balochistan Police. She now leads Balochistan’s first women’s police station, said the ambassador, adding that “women officers like Zarghoona improve the entire force’s operational effectiveness and efficiency and enhance the quality of service offered to all Pakistanis, especially those from underrepresented communities.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2024.