Home department’s count of policewomen comes to 5,343

The Sindh Home Department has found out that there are a total of 5,343 female police officials, including 4,131 lady constables, in the provincial police force.

The home secretary has issued a notification to this effect under an order of the Sindh Service Tribunal. The notification reads: “In pursuance of the judgement dated January 26, 2015, passed by the Honourable Sindh Service Tribunal in Service Appeal No 173 and in exercise of powers conferred under Rule 23 of the Women Police Rules 1998, the Government of Sindh is pleased to determine the cadre strength of the women police in each rank at five per cent of the existing strength, with immediate effect and in suppression of the home department’s previous notification No POL-HD/6/96 dated December 7, 1999.”

The cadre strength of the women police force is 19 deputy superintendents of police, 80 inspectors, 187 sub-inspectors, 347 assistant sub-inspectors, 579 head constables and 4,131 constables – a total of 5,343 policewomen in the province.

The present number of active duty female police personnel could not be readily known, but the generally accepted notion is that they are lesser in number as compared to the actual cadre strength.

Home Secretary Qazi Shahid Pervez told The News that according to the revised procedure, the cadre strength of policewomen would be determined on an annual basis from now on to keep the cadre strength’s numbers updated in view of the increase in the strength of the police force with new recruitments.

Pervez said that after the fresh notification of the revised cadre strength, the Sindh police chief would readily order and commence the process of recruitment against vacant posts in the women police force.

The home secretary clarified that there was no ban on recruiting to fill vacant posts of the provincial police service, saying that the process would be conducted purely on the basis of merit.

He said the annual determination of cadre strength of the women police would be helpful for the relevant authorities to determine the number of vacant posts pertaining to women police personnel.