PHC orders KP govt to up security for Women Crisis Centre

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday directed the provincial government to increase security for the Women Crisis Centre in the provincial capital and deploy lady police constables as well.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Ijaz Anwar passed the direction to the government in a writ petition. It was filed by a citizen Hamid Khan against the Women Crisis Centre. He was seeking recovery of his daughter-in-law who had allegedly gone missing from the centre.

Hamid Khan, a resident of Orakzai district, submitted before the court that his daughter-in-law Najma had taken shelter at the Women Crisis Centre and now she was missing from there and her whereabouts were unknown.

Saima Ghazan, an in-charge of the Women Crisis Centre and Additional Advocate General Waqar Ahmad, appeared in the court. During the hearing, the additional advocate general submitted before the bench that the woman had left the centre on her own free will after the court’s order on February 26.

He submitted that the court allowed her application in which she had claimed that she was an adult and wanted to leave the crisis centre. During the course of the hearing, the chief justice asked an in-charge of the centre to inform the court about lack of facilities if any in the centre.

The head of the crisis centre submitted before the bench that centre was facing a security problem. She pointed out that only two cops were deployed for centre security. The official said that the centre was providing shelter to those women, whose cases are of sensitive nature and needed strong security and protection.

She requested the court to order enhancement of the security, including women police constables for the crisis centre. The bench then dismissed the writ petition and directed the government to enhance security for the Women Crisis Centre forthwith.

Parents urged to get children vaccinated against polio: Health experts at a session here on Thursday sensitised parents and community elders about the importance of vaccination, particularly against polio to save children from falling prey to the crippling disease.

They were speaking at the Polio Expanded Age Group Supplementary Immunisation Activities Session held at the Kakshal-II Union Council here.A number of the community elders including UC Kakshal-II Nazim Shah Zaman, Naib Nazim Amjad, UC sectaries Usman and Aftab, patwari Haji Sajjad, teachers, District Health Communication Support Officer Sheraz and Communication Officer Fahim Nawaz participated in the session.

Dr Jahanzeb Khan, focal person for the Shaheen Muslim Town Block in Peshawar, chaired the session. The basic objective of arranging the session was to sensitise parents to get their children below the age of 10 years vaccinated against polio as the experts said that poliovirus was still circulating in the environment.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jahanzeb Khan said the government was trying to interrupt the circulation of polio various with the help of its partners. He said the Prime Minister’s social media team was joining the Peshawar team to counter propaganda against polio on social media.

Dr Jahanzeb Khan said the government was working closely with the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to help eradicate polio.Union Council Polio Eradication Committee Chairman Dr Arshad Rahatullah also highlighted the importance of essential immunisation. “We are also focusing on other childhood diseases including childhood tuberculosis, diarrhoea, diphtheria, hepatitis-B, measles, meningitis, pertussis, pneumonia and tetanus,” he added.