A first in history, a fully female Police Station was inaugurated in Quetta this week. Serving as the first female police station in the province, it is currently run by 19 female personnel.

Previously, ASP Pari Gul Tareen, the Sub Divisional Police Officer Cantt Circle, made efforts to establish a female police front desk. In a society as conservative as Balochistan’s, she expressed her desire for change, “I am determined to change the traditional police culture.”

Gender inequality is a significant issue in the province. The disparity is evident through the male to female literacy rate ratio; which is 56 to 24. Moreover, cultural barriers make it extremely difficult for women to report cases safely, or even visit police stations. Therefore, in a province as underdeveloped and forgotten as Balochistan, a step such as this one is monumental.

While inaugurating the station, Balochistan Inspector General Muhammad Tahir Raye announced, “Now our women can visit the first Women Smart Police Station anytime without any hesitation and they will be welcomed and treated well by the women police staff deployed inside the Women Police Station.” He also mentioned that a “modern digitalized system” had been installed, and the staff had been adequately trained to ensure that this police station could be connected to others in the province, “in order to receive complaints from every corner of Balochistan.”

The front desk officer, Fiza Khuda Baksh also expressed the impact that this new police station would have. “Now we will be more comfortable working with female staff members, under female police officers,” she said.