Daily Times

The first Provincial Women Police Conference was organised in Lahore on Monday in collaboration with Punjab Police and USIP, in which women police officers and eminent women personalities from different walks of life participated.

Inspector General Police Punjab Aamir Zulfiqar Khan said on the occasion that women officers and officials are a very important part of Punjab Police who are being appointed in various districts from the positions of SHOs, in-charge investigation to district police chief.

The IG Punjab said that the recruitment quota of women in the police force will be increased by 25% and the posting quota of women SHOs will also be enhanced according to the district.

Aamir Zulfiqar Khan said that the ratio of women in the population of Punjab province is high, while the representation in the police force is low, this deficiency will be fulfilled soon. The IGP further said that problems of women police employees are well understood and all possible steps will be taken to solve them.

Chief Secretary Punjab Abdullah Khan Sumbal has said it is commendable to organize Provincial Women Police Conference in collaboration with Punjab Police and USIP for highlighting problems of women police officers and officials. He said that such programs not only draw attention to the important problems faced by the force but also help in formulating a plan of action to solve them.

The chief secretary said that the Punjab government is ready for all possible cooperation to solve the problems of women police officers. The IG Punjab directed all the RPOs, DPOs to identify the problems of women police officers and personnel. He further said that he would interact with the lady officers and discuss their problems during his visits to units and districts. He said that the appointment of women officers on supervisory positions in the field has achieved good results, so women who are part of the police force should also prefer to work in the field instead of offices.

Aamir Zulfiqar Khan said that the women police are part of the trained force and he wants to see them on the front foot in every field. The IG Punjab said that departmental issues including transfer posting and leave of women police personnel will be resolved on priority basis and they will be given equal opportunities for professional career growth along with male officers.

Speakers of conference expressed their views about the problems of women police officers and personnel.

SSP Nida Umar Chatha gave a presentation on the establishment, objectives and role of the Women Police Council, after which a thought-provoking session was held to identify the problems and difficulties faced by women officers and personnel. ED PCHR Shafique Chaudhry stressed upon the need of taking affirmative action at policy and operational level to ensure effective and fair representation of women in decision making at levels in government sector and more specifically in police.