The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has fulfilled another promise in term of empowering women in KP and especially in tribal districts after it has established the first women police reporting Centre in Kurram district of KP in the history of tribal regions.
This important initiative of KP government has been admired by the local leaders, women activists, journalists and other members of the society. The initiative will not only help in addressing women issues in the region but also portray a positive and moderate image of the Pashtun society.
Before FATA merger, considerable strength of national politicians was skeptical about its true realization, however, such initiatives have proved that the provincial government so far is doing well and utilizing all its resources to facilitate and empower the people hailing from tribal districts.
On the occasion of inauguration, District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Quraish said that the Centre will help in empowering women and resolving their domestic issues with no constrains and delays. He elaborated that the government was planning to recruit a total of 50 women constables in the districts which will greatly help in improving the status of women in the district.
Local women activists hailing from Kurram district also praised the initiative terming it a positive move towards empowerment of women in the region.
While talking to us on phone, Naila Altaf a social and women rights activist said that it was a good move as it will provide a sense of protection to the women in district. She stated that in tribal districts, women are usually reluctant to share their issues with men but now they will be able to report their domestic issues with more ease.
Another social rights activist and ANP leader Naheed Afridi hailing from Khyber district said that despite her party-political differences with the ruling party, she will praise this move of the provincial government as it will ensure protection of women rights in tribal areas and help them report domestic abuse more conveniently.
She stated that government should also establish such centers in other tribal districts as it will greatly help women of tribal regions encouraging them to report domestic abuse and violence. She elaborated that now it was the time to move forward and show the world that the Pashtun society believes on women empowerment in every aspect of life.
It is pertinent to mention that Naheed Afridi was the first ever woman of Khyber district who contested elections on general seat in previous KP-FATA merger elections.
According to the DPO, the women police constable deployed in the newly formed Centre have been trained for their duties in term of how to tackle the issues women normally reports.
Besides, women activists, male social activists in the district also admired the move of the KP government, while talking to us Muhammad a social activist said that this move of the government was also admired by the local masses on social media; adding that after the merger and full extension of constitution to tribal areas, it was the need of the hour to establish such centers as it will ensure a more liberated and confident tribal women.
He stated that tribal women are highly oppressed and face regular domestic violence; however, such move will ensure that women are able to report such abuses more freely and create the requisite deterrence for the abusers.
The initiative is a positive step and provincial government should establish such centers in rest of the newly formed tribal districts as it will help in reducing violence against women and ensure a more equal society. Moreover, it is also very important that these centers maintain a very efficient and cooperative culture, only then it will be able to win over the confidence of tribal women and truly help them.
