First female officer inducted in Rawalpindi’s Bomb Disposal Squad

RAWALPINDI: In what could be seen as a move against perceived glass ceiling in our society, Rawalpindi Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) inducted first female officer into its group for the first time.

Atia Batool will be part of a six-member BDS after completing a four-week course under the supervision of American experts. During the training, she will learn defusing IEDs and suicide jackets besides identifying the nature of blast and material used in any explosive device.

Ms Batool told media that she got the inspiration to become a bomb disposal officer after watching videos of Rafia Qaseem Baig, Pakistan’s first bomb disposal female officer, looking for signs of explosives. “At that time I decided to join the BDS,” she stated.

Rawalpindi BDS was formed in 2009 amid rising incidents of terrorism. Foreign donors had provided the basic equipment like bomb disposal suit, X-ray machine for scanning, fiberscope and water disruptor. American antiterrorism experts had trained four officials of the Rawalpindi police as master-trainers.

Once selected, Constable Batool was sent to Sihala to train under BDS in-charge Head Constable Waqar Hussain.

Hussain who is also the bomb disposal squad head, having undergone the training, has been deputed at Police Training College Sihala. Later, two more officials, Qadeer Ahmed constable and Sadaqat Ali constable were added to the bomb disposal squad where they are dispensing their responsibilities.