IGP orders setting up of ‘Anti-Women Harassment and Violence Cells’
Staff Reporter
Punjab Inspector General of Police Inam Ghani on Monday said that protection of women and immediate prevention of crimes against them is the top priority of Punjab Police.
“It has been decided to set up Women Harassment and Violence Cells to ensure prompt registration of cases and investigate every case of crimes reported against women on merit.”
He directed all the RPOs of the province to ensure the establishment of “Anti-Women Harassment and Violence Cells” within a week in their respective districts and launch a publicity campaign of these special cells for public awareness.
Punjab IG Police Inam Ghani issued the instructions to all officers of the province during a video link RPOs conference on prevention of crimes against women.
Inam Ghani said that the DIG Operations Punjab would closely monitor the establishment of Anti-Women Harassment and Violence Cell in all districts of the province within the stipulated timeline while DIG Investigation Punjab would monitor every case registered in these cells, adding that the latter would also focus on monitoring the speedy investigation of all case to ensure that the accused involved in gender crimes are sentenced in shortest time.
The IGP further said that Anti-Women Harassment and Violence Cells would work under the supervision of City Police Officer and District Police Officer and in these cells a specialized unit of Lady Police personnel would perform as Victim Support Officer to provide all possible support to the affected women.
He further said that these Victim Support Officers would liaise with the affected women and would be with the victim during the investigation and trial hearing and will also provide assistance to the affected women on matters related to the case during the hearing.
The IG Police further directed that appropriate telephone lines should be set up in Anti-Harassment and Violence Cells to receive phone calls and response to crime calls received from women would be ensured within 15 minutes.
During the meeting, the IGP directed that a digital database of suspected and habitual offenders involved in crimes against women should be prepared while the crime mapping system should be made more active by identifying sensitive areas related to crimes.
He further said that police patrolling and deployment of force at sensitive places should be increased while assistance could be sought from field officers as well as other units in this regard. He added that special attention should be paid to the awareness campaign on crime prevention through print, electronic and social media, Women Safety App and Anti-Harassment & Violence Cells so that more women and girls can benefit from it.
He further said that the staff of Anti-Women Harassment and Violence Cells will also inform their respective supervisory officers about every call received and the supervisory officers will ensure timely response under personal supervision and no call or request can be filed without taking it to a logical conclusion.
The meeting was attended by Additional IG Special Branch Zaeem Iqbal Sheikh, Additional IG Operations Punjab Sahibzada Shehzad Sultan, DIG Operations Punjab Sohail Akhtar Sukhera, AIG Operations Syed Zeeshan Raza including other officers and all RPOs of the province participated through Video Link.
