LAHORE: Inspector General Police Punjab Aamir Zulfiqar Khan has made the appointment of a woman station house officer (SHO) in each district of the province mandatory under a new policy.

Issuing a circular to all the regional and district police officers of Punjab titled ‘enhance role of women police officers’, he has set deadline of Friday (Jan 20) for making appointments of the woman SHOs as per the instructions.

“Every district should post one woman SHO by Friday in any police station that the respective district police officer thinks fit,” reads the official letter.

While highlighting the non-functioning of the women help desks established in each district of Punjab in the letter, the IG directed the regional and district police officers to make them fully functional till the deadline.

“All urban police stations in major cities and districts should have a woman police officer to assist and attend the complainants of the female victims and applicants”, says the IG police.

Mr Zulfiqar directed the additional IG police (training) to ensure the appointment of women SHOs and submit a report in due time. He directed the Lahore police chief to make available the resources to provide better environment and facilities in Ladies Police Hostel in Qila Gujar Singh Police Lines.

A separate meeting the IG chaired also discussed and endorsed the suggestions presented by some women police officers in the first women police conference held at Alhamra Hall the other day.

The meeting also decided to establish separate washrooms and daycare centres for the women police employees.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2023