CM Punjab Inaugurates Pakistan’s First Virtual Women’s Police Station
By
April 24, 2024
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz introduced Pakistan’s first virtual women’s police station, called “Meri Awaz…Maryam Nawaz,” on Monday. She was thankful for the launch and said it would help women avoid going to physical police stations unnecessarily. The opening happened at the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA).
Maryam Nawaz explained how the virtual police station works. It helps women with everything related to dealing with crime, like filing a report and going through investigations and trials. Women can contact the police through different ways, including a hotline, live chat on a safety app, video calls, a police app, and a web portal for Safe City.
She stressed that the station is committed to quickly dealing with women’s issues, especially harassment. The station promises to keep complaints private, so women can share their problems without revealing their names or addresses.
Maryam Nawaz highlighted the new video call feature, which lets women show their problems and locations directly to the police.
Trained women police communication officers, who are graduates in IT, are working at the virtual police station to help women. Also, 100 modern emergency buttons have been installed across Lahore, which connect directly to Safe City in emergencies.
Maryam Nawaz talked about the panic buttons in public places like universities, colleges, markets, intersections, and bazaars. They’re connected to Safe City for a quick response. There’s also a way to report crimes, police misconduct, and complaints anonymously through a helpline and a web portal.
During her visit to the virtual police station, Maryam Nawaz talked with a women communication police officer and asked for the quick completion of hostels and daycare centers for women officers. She also learned about other projects run by the Punjab Safe Cities Authority.
Besides this, Maryam Nawaz launched free Wi-Fi service at more than 50 locations in Lahore. Officials also told her about using artificial intelligence to issue 19 traffic violation tickets in Lahore, which is a first in South Asia.
