This column is dedicated to women police officials of Islamabad and Mansehra Assistant Commissioner Marvi Malik Sher.
The two sides – Islamabad police officials and the Mansehra assistant commissioner – have challenged the culture of patriarchy and harassment of working women by their colleagues and the public at large.
First, something about the Islamabad police officials.
Our reporter Dua Mirza has unearthed the five-year-old case of women police constables and employees of Islamabad Police headquarters, who faced sexual abuse from their colleagues and bosses. According to a letter, written five years ago to the top bosses, “some deputy superintendents of police, readers and operators ‘played’ with the life and honor of lady police constables at the police headquarters in Islamabad”.
The letter contains horrific, graphic details. The complainant wrote the letter back in 2018, and the then inspector general of police forwarded it to the department to look into the details and report back in seven days.
Now, the police say that action was taken against the culprits, and several officials were suspended.
The Mansehra police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have arrested three youths.
Charge?
The three goons believe they were born not to be ruled by a woman assistant commissioner. They were arrested for pestering and harassing Assistant Commissioner Marvi Malik Sher.
Several onlookers are ready to tell the police about the incident, Mansehra City Police Station Officer Israr Shah says.
The one-time complaint and the one-time ensuing action might not have brought out any significant changes to the well-being of the women officials.
Now, we come to the Mansehra incident.
It is reported that the three youths traveling in a luxury vehicle started chasing the vehicle of the assistant commissioner.
Then they blocked her way and asked her to pull over.
The assistant commissioner, the Minute Mirror learnt, is a known face to the people of Mansehra due to her frequent appearances in public places.
Also, Marvi Malik Sher belongs to the all-CSS-sister family. She is one of the five sisters who passed the CSS exam, and set a record in Pakistan. What a feat!
The three youths told Marvi Malik Sher to get out of her vehicle. They yelled at her to leave the district or else.
“We don’t believe in women’s rule,” shouted one of them, as per media reports.
Marvi Malik Sher, however, did not and will not budge. That is the characteristic of a strong woman.
The altercation attracted the attention of a passersby. Soon, a crowd gathered at the scene. The crowd swelled and stood by the assistant commissioner. They allowed no safe passage to the harassers. That is the finest display of the males’ acceptance of female officers. Thank you, the people of Mansehra.
The police were called in.
The three attackers are now in police custody.
“This is an incident of harassment. People gathered on the spot after seeing the harassment of the woman,” the police say.
The incident speaks volumes of the prevailing mindset of patriarchy. And to fight and defeat the mindset, we need more officers like Marvi Malik Sher.
While these two incidents portray the rise of women against harassment, several have yet to speak out. Many have died by suicide after suffering constant abuse either by their colleagues or family members. Recently, a woman constable died by suicide. Her suicide note said: marry my daughters to some gentlemen.
No doubt, several women are suffering in silence, but they should rise against the layers of rule. They have Marvi Malik Sher and Islamabad women police officials as role models.
More power to you, the assistant commissioner.
More power to you, the women officials of the Islamabad police.
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