IGP inaugurates Women and Children Protection Desk in District West

Victims of sexual violence should not be afraid to come forward and file a complaint so that action can be initiated against the perpetrators, said Sindh police chief AD Khowaja.

Inaugurating the Women and Children Protection Desk in the West Zone on Thursday, IGP Khowaja said that subjecting women and children to sexual abuse or assault was a heinous crime, and instead of hiding or being afraid, victims should register a complaint with the police against the perpetrators so that they can be taken to task.

According to the provincial police chief, the purpose behind the creation of the Women and Children Protection Desk, which has been set up at the office of the deputy inspector general West, was to curb the various crimes against women and children – a highly vulnerable population – and to put the people involved in such crimes behind bars.

“I wanted to give you the good news that the salary of staffers who work at the Women and Children Protection Desk would be doubled,” he said, adding that only those officials would be deployed at the desk who have the ability and who, in reality, want to serve the cause of humanity. The police chief further said the investigation of offences against children and women would be carried out by female police officers, who will be appointed for the desk.

The reason behind this decision is make the investigation of such cases as effective as possible and ensure that the perpetrators are tried in court and given an appropriate sentence, he said. Khowaja also urged journalists to create awareness about the new desk and to play a role in highlighting the work the police department was doing to curb such crimes.

Later in the day, the IGP also inaugurated a Command and Control Room and Ballistic Identification System Terminal in District Central. He lauded the officials’ efforts for the creation of the Command and Control Room, and directed all Senior Superintendents of Police of Karachi Range to visit the District Central control room and to ensure the creation of the same in their district within 15 days.