TAXILA: For the first time in the 119 years of its history, Attock district police appointed a woman as a station house officer (SHO) of a police station.

The development came after Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Aamir Zulfiqar Khan made the appointment of a woman SHO in each district of the province mandatory under a new policy.

A circular in this regard was issued to all regional and district police officers of Punjab titled ‘Enhance Role of Women Police Officers’.

“The posting of women officials at women help desks established in all districts should be ensured at all costs so that women police officers can help women citizens who are victims of crime and social stigma,” the circular added.

Subsequently, acting on the directives, a notification issued by District Police Chief Attock Fazal Hamid appointed Inspector Erum Khanam as SHO of New Airport police station in Fatehjang subdivision. The newly-appointed SHO has taken charge of her duties.

Ms Khanam has many feathers in her cap. She joined the police service as assistant sub-inspector (ASI) on April 4, 1996. Besides providing justice to the masses, she has offered professional responsibilities of her service in various operational, crime control and surveillance branches of the police department including Special Branch, Security Branch and Anti-Terrorism.

Besides as an athlete, Erum Khanam represented her country in more than 40 countries in various athletic events and won gold, silver and brown medals. She also has the significant title of holding the record for being the fastest female athlete of India and Pakistan.

Attock is a district in Potohar Plateau of Punjab. Created in April 1904 by the merging of tehsils of nearby districts it was named initially as Campbellpur.

Published in Dawn, January 23th, 2023