KHYBER – For the first time, five women police officers have been appointed in the Khyber tribal district, a senior official announced on Monday.
Khyber, which borders Afghanistan, is one of the seven tribal districts that have faced militancy for years, making the appointment of women officers potentially challenging.
Khyber District Police Officer (DPO) Saleem Abbas Kulachi issued notifications regarding the appointment of these women officers, which included four additional station house officers (SHOs). Kulachi stated that the appointment aims to ensure that hundreds of thousands of women in the region have access to justice.
“Women in the merged districts possess all necessary capabilities and will be given opportunities to perform their duties,” the DPO added.
Among the appointed officers, Mehak Pervez Masih, a junior police officer, has been assigned as the additional SHO for Landi Kotal, transitioning from her previous role at Ali Masjid police station. Lady Constable Naila Jabbar, formerly on general duty at Bara police station, is now the additional SHO at Ali Majid police station. Fatima Sameen Jan will serve as an additional SHO at Bara police station, and Lady Constable Nusrat will take up duties as an additional SHO at Jamrud police station. Additionally, Lady Constable Shanza has been appointed for general duty at the Khyber police lines.
A tribal elder from North Waziristan, Malik Habib, noted that no female police officer had ever been appointed to work in the field within the tribal areas before, with women traditionally working only in the education and health sectors.
The Khyber district has seen significant activity from outlawed groups such as Lashkar-i-Islam and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and was once a key supply route for US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan.
