Women police stations to be set up

At present, female officials are deputed on a case-by-case basis to assist in matters pertaining to women.

GILGIT:

Work on the establishment of women police stations has started in various districts of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), officials said on Monday.

“The chief minister has asked the concerned authorities to speed up work and it is gaining momentum,” an official in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat said on Monday, requesting anonymity.

This initiative is being taken as the police department has been facing difficulties in investigating cases involving women due to cultural restrictions.

The G-B government recently issued a notification under which women police stations are to be set up in all seven districts of the region, transferring powers from male police officers to female officials for investigating cases relating to women. “The process has started and hopefully it will complete soon,” he said, adding that “thana (jail) culture” will improve considerably after the opening of women stations.

At present, G-B doesn’t have a single separate women police station; female officials are deputed on a case-by-case basis to assist their male counterparts in matters pertaining to women.

In addition, the government is also planning to induct women from all districts into the police to end the shortage of manpower in the department.

(Read: Pakistani wins International Female Police Peacekeeping Award)

Locals in G-B are pleased about the step being taken, saying that it would not only safeguard women rights but also provide them with jobs at their doorsteps.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2011.