The Government of Sindh has announced an increase in the quota of female personnel in the police force from 2 per cent to 5pc, a notification issued by the provincial Home Department said.

The move came in pursuance of a 2015 decision by the Sindh Service Tribunal which deals with matters relating to the terms and conditions of service of civil servants.

According to the decision, a 5pc quota is to be reserved for female personnel in each rank, which means the strength of female deputy superintendents in the police force would increase to 19, inspectors to 80 and sub-inspectors to 187.

The Sindh Police will also have 347 women assistant sub-inspectors, 579 head constables and 4,131 constables, the notification said.

The increase in female police officers in the province will considerably boost the dismal overall figures for policewomen in Pakistan, put at 5,731 by National Police Bureau (NPB) earlier this year.