Acting on directives from Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar, South Range chief DIG Javed Akbar Riaz has established a “One-Stop Protection Centre” against gender-based violence.

The center established the first Protection Center at the Women Police Station, district south. Talking to The News on Tuesday, DIG Riaz said the center had been set up at

The Women Police Station in District South.

The instructions from the IGP were received via a letter that reads, “Sindh Police has notified a number of investigation officers for investigating cases of sexual and gender-based violence across the province vide notification dated June 4, 2021.

“The aim is to have a pool of specialized officers trained to effectively deal with incidents of gender-based violence, including sexual abuse, sodomy and domestic violence, protect the survivors of violence with a commitment to the survivor-centric approach and investigate the cases in a manner that respects the dignity of the victims and not to traumatize them.”

The letter further says: “Realizing fully the need for multi-sectorial responses and integrated approach from police, forensics division, medico-legal office, social welfare, women development and prosecution departments in cases of sexual violence, it is decided that the Women and Child Police Station, South, shall work as a ‘One Stop Protection Centre’, hereinafter called the Centre, as a pilot project in South Zone.

“In this regard, you are required to coordinate with various government offices involved in dealing with the victims and survivors of gender-based violence and the Legal Aid Society, who has been collaborating with Sindh Police on the subject matter for long, with the aim to provide a one-stop facility to all such victims at the Centre.

“Officer in charge of the Centre shall entertain all the victims of GBV from across the Zone, immediately register the FIR, coordinate with the medico-legal team, and mark the investigation of the case to the GBV-IO of the police station concerned, who shall then take up the case for investigation. Effective SOPs are required to be devised by your office within 10 days and shared with all offices concerned as well as this office.”

DIG Riaz said that immediately responding to IGP Mahar’s direction, he had established a Centre at the Women Police Station, and it would function round the clock.

Source: The News