Lahore Capital city police office (CCPO) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar has said that it is the need of the hour to sensitise people regarding sanctity and respect of women in society.
He was addressing to students in a penal discussion at Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) here on Wednesday. Female students from four universities participated the discussion to highlight the salient features of Lahore Police's campaign against harassment of women. The event was attended by vice chancellor LCWU Prof. Dr Bushra Mirza and Directors Students Affairs from University of Home Economics, Kinnared College, King Edward Medical University and host varsity. CCPO said that focus of penal discussion is to express solidarity with women, assuring them our full support against any sort of harassment and violence and to make female members of society aware of the importance of downloading ‘Women Safety App’ of Punjab Police in their android cellular phones so as to contact and get timely police help in case of any emergency situation.”
The CCPO advised students to adopt precautionary measures and particularly download Punjab Police’s ‘Women Safety App’ in their android phones to get immediate police help in case of any harassment or violence against them. He explained that there is option of location in the application and police will response and reach the victims within no time. He added that Lahore police’s awareness campaign was aimed at preventing and eliminating all forms of violence against women which had alarmingly intensified in society for the last few weeks.
Vice Chancellor Dr. Bushra Mirza said that such penal discussions will construct a bridge between the mass and police for better interaction. She explained that harassment and violence against women were devastating human right violations as these remained largely unreported in the past due to silence, stigma and shame attached with them. VC said that it was necessary for the victims to raise their voice against any harassment or violence and get legal help to bring the perpetrators to justice, not only teaching the culprit a lesson but also act as a deterrent against them.
The CCPO said Lahore police was establishing ‘Women Anti-Harassment and Violence Cells’ at Defense Area (B) police station and Liberty Police Khidmat Markaz to ensure prompt support and redress of the grievances of affected women by registration of cases and investigation of crimes reported against women.
The female victim support officers will run these cells to provide timely response within 15 minutes to the received calls and extend full support to the aggrieved women from registration of FIRs to medical of victims, investigation process, hearing of cases in relevant courts and other related matters.
Feedback of victims will also be ensured on all the process of assistance provided by Anti-Women Harassment and Violence Cells. Dedicated telephone lines will also be provided to the cells to ensure timely response. A dedicated helpline 1242 has also been established by Lahore police to redress the grievances of victims of harassment and violence, the CCPO concluded.
