PESHAWAR: Speakers at a seminar on Monday stressed the need for proper training of policewomen and setting up of women police stations in the province to ensure effective maintenance of law and order.

The seminar was organised by Gender Responsive Policing Project in collaboration with National Police Bureau of Pakistan and GIZ, a German government’s body.

Speaking on the occasion, additional IGP Elite Force Tariq Javed said that no nation could achieve success without active participation of women in every field of life. He said Gender Responsive Policing Project had created gender sensitivity in the police force, which in turn, increased women recruitment, and their improved role in policing. He said efforts were being made to ensure proper working environment and training of policewomen.

Mr Javed informed the participants that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police had developed an action plan for improving the strength of women in the force. He said women desks were being set up in all the police stations to facilitate women complainants.

DIG investigation Mohammad Ali Babakhel informed the participants that Pakistan had only 12 women police stations compared to 442 women police stations in India.

He expressed dissatisfaction over the working conditions of women police and said policewomen recruited in 1990 have so far not got any professional training. He added that there was lack of coordination between recruitment and training centres.

Mr Babakhel maintained that there was no physical instructor in 23 women institutions across the country while only 11 law instructors were available for them. He said that women police stations only worked as transit camps.

He suggested that recruitment procedure should be made easy for women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa so they could prove their mettle.

SP headquarters Peshawar Syed Hasnain Haider said that 70 women desks had been established throughout the province, providing best services to the victimised women.

Women Police Network (WPN) president DIG Haleema Saeed informed the participants about how to provide succour and relief to complainant women. She personally asked questions to each participant and sensitised them on the issue.

Inspector investigation Shahzadi Naushad presented her paper highlighting the objective, structure and responsibilities of WPN.

SHO woman police station, Peshawar Inspector Rozia Altaf threw light on the basic responsibilities and work of the police council.

Senior gender advisor of WPN Aliya Sethi stressed the need to sensitise public and government officials about the issues, problems and requirements of woman police.