First Lahore Police Anti Women Harassment and Violence Cell Inaugurated

Lahore: Lahore police have set up “Anti Hrassment and Violence Cell” for women which will work to ensure prompt registration of cases and investigation on merit in every case of harassment and violence against women. Capital City Police Officer Additional IG Ghulam Mahmood Dogar inaugurated, on Tuesday the first ‘Women Harassment and Violence Cell’ of Lahore police at Police Station Defence Area(B).DIG Operations Capt(R) Sohail Chaudhary, CTO Lahore Muntazir Mehdi, SSP Operations Waqar Shoaib Qureshi, SP Headquarters Imran Ahmad Malik, SP Dolphin Squad Rashid Hayat, SP Cantt Sayyed Aziz and other senior police officers were present on this occasion. Lahore police is also establishing its second Anti Women Harassment and Violence Cell at Liberty roundabout area. CCPO Lahore visited different sections of the newly inaugurated Cell of PS Defence Area(B) and inspected the facilities provided at different desks. Ghulam Mahmood Dogar briefed the female staff of the cell regarding the importance of their new responsibilities and directed them to extend full cooperation to the affected women and behave with them in polite manner. SP Headquarters briefed the CCPO about the main functions and purpose of the cell. Monitoring Desk, Victim Feedback and Assistance Desk, Victim Support Desk along with Investigation and Prosecution Desk will operate under the newly established cell, he added. Briefing the media persons about the cell, Ghulam Mahmood Dogar said the Women Ant Harassment and Violence Cell at Police Station Defence Area (B) would ensure prompt support and redress of grievances of affected women through registration of cases and investigation of crimes against women. Female Victim Support Officers (VSOs) will supervise the cell to provide timely response and full legal and moral support to the aggrieved women from registration of FIRs to their medical reports, investigation process, hearing of cases in relevant courts and other related matters, Ghulam Mahmood Dogar said. Six Gender Crime Cells of Lahore Police have been linked with this cell which will ensure monitoring of all such cases, surveillance of the habitual criminals and mapping of the hotspot areas in crimes of harassment and violence against women. Commander Lahore Police pledged that feedbacks of victims will also be ensured regarding all the process of assistance provided by ‘Anti Women Harassment and Violence Cells’ on regular basis. Dedicated phonelines have also been provided to these cells to ensure timely response. CCPO Lahore advised women especially working women as well as students to download the ‘Women Safety App’ in their smart phones to get immediate police help in case of any harassment or violence against them. Ghulam Mahmood Dogar said that protection of women and immediate prevention of crimes against them was the top priority of Lahore Police. He added that monitoring of speedy investigation of cases will be ensured so that the accused involved in gender crimes, especially the habitual offenders, could be convicted and sentenced by the courts. A digital database of suspected and habitual offenders involved in crimes against women would be prepared while the crime mapping system be made more active by identifying sensitive areas related to crimes,he added. Ghulam Mahmood Dogar said the history sheeters of gender based crimes will be asked to ensure their weekly or forth nightly presence in these cell to regularly monitor their activities. The CCPO said, special attention has been 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.