KARACHI: The city police chief on Tuesday appointed Sub-Inspector Ghazala Syed Clifton station house officer in a rare move to appoint a woman officer to such a post in what he discribed as a part of Karachi police plan to offer a level-playing field to all personnel without gender discrimination.

“Additional IG Shahid Hayat Khan has appointed sub-inspector Ghazala Syed SHO Clifton on the recommendation of DIG south Khaliq Sheikh,” said the Karachi police spokesman.

“The move reflects the policy of a level-playing field for all officers of the city without any gender discrimination and the institution hopes it would also help building trust of people in the law-enforcement agency.”

He made it clear that it was not the first time that a woman officer had been appointed SHO of any police station though it was done after more than two decades.

SI Syed joined the police force in 1994 as assistant sub-inspector and was promoted to the rank of sub-inspector in 2003. She also served as official in charge of the women police station and women complaint cells in Nazimabad and Saddar police stations.