LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has taken a commendable and unique step for the protection of women, children and the weaker segments of society, as ‘Women Police Squad’ has been established in prominent markets in the province for the protection of women while patrolling has been started across the province.
On the direction of the Chief Minister, special ‘Women Police Squad’ will patrol the markets during peak hours for the protection of women and children. Women Police Squad teams will patrol the markets on foot, bicycle and motorbikes. ‘Women Police Squad’ will monitor the activities of anti-social elements in the markets. ‘Women Police Squad’ will also prevent incidents of harassment of women and girls coming for shopping in the markets and bazaars.
Due to Eid rush in the markets, this squad will help in preventing incidents of snatching mobile phones, wallets and robberies etc. Women police foot squads will also perform surveillance duties in bazaars and markets. Women police squads have started patrolling major commercial centres in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Chiniot, Burewala, Vehari, Khanewal and other cities.
A special squad of Dolphin Police has also been deployed in Lahore for the protection, assistance of women and children in the markets and bazaars. Dolphin’s Quick Response Cycle Squad has been deployed at 65 major commercial centres in Lahore. The cycle squad is performing patrolling duties in DHA Raya Club, Ichhra, Anarkali and Liberty Market in Lahore. Dolphin bicycle squad and PRU squad will also be deployed to perform their patrolling duties along with the quick response cycle squad.
More than 4,000 police personnel will be deployed on special squad duty across Lahore. The friendly unit of Dolphin Police will patrol the markets after Iftar till the markets close. The Dolphin Force squad comprising bicycles will patrol famous streets, bazaars, markets and crowded areas. The first women police squad has been fully mobilized in Okara. Police constables on foot, bicycles and motorcycles have started patrolling famous and crowded bazaars.
The CM said, “Protection of women and children is not only the foremost responsibility of the government but of the entire society as well. The protection of women in bazaars and streets will be ensured under any circumstance.”
The women have appreciated CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s initiative for the establishment of a regular women police squad for the first time for the protection of women in markets as a commendable step. It is easy to inform women police personnel about incidents of harassment being committed with women. The women acknowledged that after the establishment of the women police squad, they feel safer, secure and satisfied while shopping in the crowded markets and bazaars.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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