PESHAWAR: In a groundbreaking milestone, the Kurram police have appointed their first female Additional Station House Officer (Ad-SHO), Samreen Amir, marking a historic moment for the former tribal area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Additionally, another woman has been designated as an Additional Moharar, further advancing gender inclusivity in the region’s law enforcement.
Samreen Amir has assumed her role as the Additional SHO at the Parachinar police station in Kurram district. Imran Mirza, the Kurram district police officer (DPO), shared, “We have also posted another woman, Sofia, as an additional moharar in the same police station.” Sofia Masih had previously served as the head of the women’s desk in Kurram a couple of years ago.
The Kurram DPO revealed that in addition to these appointments, they are actively training other policewomen in the district to enhance their effectiveness in regular police duties.
This development holds great significance for the former tribal districts, as the placement of women as SHOs is rare even in the settled districts of KP, including Peshawar.
Previously, only one woman briefly served as an acting SHO at the Gulberg police station in Peshawar. No woman police officer, starting from the rank of constable or assistant sub-inspector, had held the SHO or sub-divisional officer position in any KP town. However, some of these women have since risen to the rank of superintendent of police.
While few women from the police service have held roles as SDPOs and district police officers in KP, Sonia Shamroz, a Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) officer, currently serves as the DPO in Battagram within the Hazara region. This landmark appointment signals a positive step towards greater gender representation and empowerment in law enforcement in the region.
