For the very first time in the history of Pakistan, a woman police officer—Dr Anoosh Masood Chaudhry—has been appointed as the Senior Superintendent (SSP) of Lahore. This has not only broken stereotypes but has encouraged discourse surrounding the induction of more women in the labour force, public and private alike. The reality of our country is such that women make up half of our population but are grossly underrepresented in the working sector. Accordingly, it is good to see the government take some action to improve the gender balance in working places.
The SSP appointment is a remarkable achievement considering that the police force is completely male dominated. Its total strength may be calculated to be around 175,000 officers, out of which only 4000 are women. This means that female police officers account for less than one percent of the police force, and most of them are never able to rise up to positions of leadership. With this backdrop, this step by the government to make Dr Anoosh the SSP is outstanding and should serve as a stepping stone for further female appointments.
There is great merit in having a more balanced gender ratio in the workplace, especially when it comes to the police force. More women have now been assuming the position of Station House Officer (SHO)—Ghazala Sharif in 2017, Kulsoom Fatima in 2019 and Dilshad Pari in 2021, amongst a few others—and that has enabled greater attention to be paid to crimes against women in particular. Over 200 rape and sexual abuse cases were solved within two months of Kulsoom Fatima’s appointment. Had she not been in a position where she could lead, most of those cases may not have been handled with the urgency required.
Throughout the years, the government has acknowledged that a male-dominated workforce in all sectors of the economy is a problem and has taken steps to incur some change. For instance, a 10 percent quota for women in public sector employment was implemented. However, these quotas are often ignored entirely. Better supervision is needed to ensure that each office adheres to the minimum number of positions that women must occupy. Furthermore, now is the time for authorities to go a step further and increase female participation in active roles where they can lead and make decisions.
The SSP appointment is a remarkable achievement considering that the police force is completely male dominated. Its total strength may be calculated to be around 175,000 officers, out of which only 4000 are women. This means that female police officers account for less than one percent of the police force, and most of them are never able to rise up to positions of leadership. With this backdrop, this step by the government to make Dr Anoosh the SSP is outstanding and should serve as a stepping stone for further female appointments.
There is great merit in having a more balanced gender ratio in the workplace, especially when it comes to the police force. More women have now been assuming the position of Station House Officer (SHO)—Ghazala Sharif in 2017, Kulsoom Fatima in 2019 and Dilshad Pari in 2021, amongst a few others—and that has enabled greater attention to be paid to crimes against women in particular. Over 200 rape and sexual abuse cases were solved within two months of Kulsoom Fatima’s appointment. Had she not been in a position where she could lead, most of those cases may not have been handled with the urgency required.
Throughout the years, the government has acknowledged that a male-dominated workforce in all sectors of the economy is a problem and has taken steps to incur some change. For instance, a 10 percent quota for women in public sector employment was implemented. However, these quotas are often ignored entirely. Better supervision is needed to ensure that each office adheres to the minimum number of positions that women must occupy. Furthermore, now is the time for authorities to go a step further and increase female participation in active roles where they can lead and make decisions.
