IGP underlines need to follow SoPs: women police officials confront difficulties

In view of difficulties confronting women police officials, IGP Islamabad Kaleem Imam underlined the need to follow Standing Operating Procedures (SoPs) which will hold every employee of the Police force accountable for harassing other colleagues.
Kamal-ud-Din Tipu, DIG HQ has been appointed as chairman and Ms Haleena Iqbal Saeed, AIG would act as secretary. We consider having more female staff in the Police force a success, we also observe that the change in the work environment due to induction of more women can create difficulties for the female staff, IGP Islamabad Syed Kaleem Imam said.
SOPs shall be considered a supplement to the rules regarding misconduct, where, according to this order, sexual harassment is a form of misconduct under (E&D) Rules-1975. At times they experience harassment and intimidation by their male colleagues. This creates problems for them in discharging their duties and badly damage the work environment, he said.
There is an urgency to address this issue to make the Police force an efficient and professional service provider. In the recent past more and more women have been joining the Police force following desire by the government coupled with the hard work done by the senior management.
"We need to be aware of the concerns of women police officers and ensure an environment that shall retain the women already recruited and encourage more to join in future", Kaleem Imam maintained. Women police officers, like their male colleagues, have long and unpredictable working hours, mostly in adverse circumstances. This necessitates to be cognisant of the special needs of the women police officers.
Supervisory officers have been directed to ensure special transport arrangements to pick and drop the women police officers shall be made. Invariably, there shall be at least two women police officers accompanying a team of policemen. Women police officers also have more demanding and special personal and family needs especially those who have children or are expecting. While it is understandable that supervisory officers sometimes get annoyed with frequent requests (for leave or being relieved from duty at certain hours) from the women police officers, but the need to exhibit extra concern and sense of accommodation while dealing with them is necessary.
Supervisory offices have to understand the domestic pressures and emotional demands of families of the women police officers. Their duty hours shall be so scheduled as to facilitate them both at home and at work place. Wherever possible, the ICT Police with the help of willing agencies shall encourage availing of child care facilities at appropriate level, he added. All supervisory officers shall also ensure decent residential facilities to both single and married women police officers, through positive policy actions.
To investigate various cases of sexual harassment, an inquiry committee will be constituted by IGP to hear the cases on permanent basis. The committee will comprise three officials having good reputation. One member will be the Secretary of the Committee who will keep the whole record of the cases. One female will be also the member of the committee while meeting of the Committee will be held after every three months to review the situation from time to time and give recommendations to improve the working conditions.