In a first, Christian woman appointed SHO in tribal district Kurram

The tribal district of Kurram in Peshawar got its first-ever Christian woman Station House Officer (SHO) at the Parachinar Police Station, it was reported on Wednesday.

Thirty five-year-old Samreen Amir sees her appointment as “a testament to diversity within the police department.” She has already conducted numerous raids and actively participated in police exercises within the Kurram district. Her top priority is to aid voiceless and vulnerable women in the region, she said.

District Police Officer Kurram Muhammad Imran stated that this move not only aimed at providing a safe space for women to report crimes but also tackle inheritance problems, domestic violence, and other issues faced by women in the region.

Kurram district boasts a Woman Reporting Center, established in 2020, dedicated to addressing women’s complaints.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan stressed that Samreen’s appointment exemplifies the police department’s commitment to gender equality and women empowerment. He also highlighted how the department has promoted women’s careers in policing in the past, giving examples of a female district police officer in Batgram and Chitral, and a higher number of female traffic police officers in the province.

We also have a female deputy muharrir in our police station, he added.

Saima Qadeer, an activist and advocate of women’s rights and issues, told The Express Tribune that the appointment was a “significant achievement”. She commended K-P police for providing opportunities to minorities and promoting harmony and peace, despite the security challenges faced in tribal areas.

Female SHOs in Punjab Police

Earlier this year, Inspector General Police Punjab Aamir Zulfiqar Khan had issued orders to appoint a female SHO in at least one police station in every district of the province within the next five days.

An order issued by the IGP titled, “Enhance the role of women police officers” to all the Punjab Police commanding officers maintained that, “Every district should post one female SHO by Friday in any police station that the DPO thinks fit”.

It further stated: “Women’s help desks had been established but are not active now. All urban police stations in big cities and districts should have a woman officer to assist and attend to the complaints of female victims and applicants”.

In compliance with orders, SI Mehwish Aslam was appointed as the first female SHO in Hafizabad district at Lalelki Mandi police station in January 2023.