Roundtable: Policewomen discuss challenges of working in Pakistan

Women law enforcement officials honoured on International Women’s Day.

ISLAMABAD:

Twenty-five policewomen in crisp uniforms formed the principal section of the audience at a roundtable discussion on the challenges and opportunities that policewomen face in Pakistan.

The roundtable, organised by the Narcotics Affairs section of the US embassy here on Wednesday, included both American and Pakistani female law enforcement officers, criminal justice experts and police trainers.

Deputy Chief of Mission Richard Hoagland said “as Muhammad Ali Jinnah once said: no struggle can succeed without women participating side-by-side with men,” and thanked policewomen for upholding the statement. He also appreciated the progress and advancement of Pakistani women and an increasing engagement in almost every profession.

Human Rights activist Dr Fauzia Saeed said that women in law enforcement agencies are proof the strength of Pakistani women is exemplary and not far from women in developed countries. However, “the government should increase their strength so that more women can enter such fields,” she concluded.

Inspectors, Superintendants, Deputy Superintendants from Islamabad Police, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Airport Security, Traffic Police, Special Branch, Rescue 115 and Anti-Terrorist Squad.

A US Embassy official told The Express Tribune that the roundtable was intended the encourage women and get their perspectives on law enforcement, especially to “know what they are doing with limited resources, and how things can be made better.”

The US has been working with Pakistani law enforcement agencies through its Police Assistance Programme to help build capacity and promote interagency cooperation, for the past three years.

The Women’s Police Programme assists female police officers in their profession development through the provision of training, equipment and infrastructure.

To date, the US government has allocated $5 million to the programme. The programme is currently running training programs in first aid and investigation skills in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2012.