Husna Khan, Lady Constable in the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Police, joined law enforcement force in 2010. She believes that like health and education, women have a critical role to play in the police. “I joined police force not just to serve the public, but to resolve the issues of our sisters facing domestic and gender based issues,” she says. “A woman cannot express herself clearly and confidently in front of my male counterparts. It is my duty to help such women articulate and flag their problems”.
Women desks in model police stations are playing a vital role. When an aggrieved female comes to the police station, she is provided consolation and a positive environment so that she may express herself clearly. Female constables listen to her plight and report her complaint to higher ups. This chain allows women to express themselves without feeling like they are being marginalized or discriminated against.
“It was thought that women cannot serve in police, which is dominated by men. But we are proving this wrong, and I stress that lady police officers should do well to bring a about constructive social change,” says Khan. She believes that she has a duty to uplift and improve the lives of women in Pushtun society.
Ms. Khan says the job is not all sitting behind a desk. She is occasionally involved in raids and search operations. “As a female police officer it is my job to enter that house first. We ask the ladies of the house to move aside so we can do our job.” Khan says that even in such tense situations, it is important that the police show tolerance and respect. “Harsh words are exchanged sometimes, and people get upset, but our job is to maintain peace and calm.”
The issues faced by females are multifaceted and permeate every aspect of society. Khan believes that the addition of women into the police force has the potential to alleviate problems for women at the societal level. “I request my sisters to join police, because authority empowers women to overcome gender discrimination and domestic issues.”
Ms. Khan’s reflections merit consideration. As for the women’s participation in law enforcement forces in KP is concerned, there are positive signs that indicate some progress has been made. According to media reports, more than 600 women have been working throughout the province in different capacities from junior clerk to deputy superintendent. In a rare case, a lady police constable, Rafia, recently joined the bomb disposal unit in Peshawar and thus became the first woman of its kind in not only Pakistan but also Asia to have done so.