Lahore police to deploy women officers 24/7 at all police stations

LAHORE: Lahore police has decided to ensure the presence of women police officers at 84 police stations across the city around the clock to provide women with assistance and legal support.

According to Lahore police, the move aims to provide women with a safe and secure environment to register complaints and seek help, including during nighttime hours.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Lahore Faisal Kamran said the presence of women officers would ensure that women face no difficulty in contacting the police at night.

He said immediate response would be ensured to complaints involving domestic violence, harassment and other issues concerning women. The initiative, he added, was aimed at making the police more accessible and trustworthy for women.

The decision comes after two recent incidents involving women at Lahore police stations.

Lahore police restrict women’s presence at police stations after sunset

In the first incident, a Lahore police Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) was arrested for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman with a mental health condition at Ghaziabad police station.

In another incident, two underage girls died while in police custody in Lahore on August 4. The circumstances surrounding their deaths remain unclear.

The girls, who were suspected of stealing a small amount of cash and gold jewellery from a house, had been brought to Township police station after a local resident accused them of theft. Their health reportedly deteriorated while they were in police custody, and both subsequently died.

Earlier, DIG Operations Lahore Faisal Kamran had directed police officials to ensure that women were not kept at police stations after sunset, citing the need to protect their dignity.

The directive was issued during a crime-control meeting with officers of the City Division. The DIG instructed officials to treat women with utmost respect and ensure that no woman, whether a complainant or an accused, remained at a police station after Maghrib.

The latest decision marks a shift in approach, with women officers now being assigned to remain available at police stations 24 hours a day.