QUETTA: In Quetta’s Fayaz Sumbal Shaheed Police Lines, 24-year-old Nimra Muhammad Suleman stands among female police officers, ready for the morning parade.
She completed seven months of tough training in January at the Police Training College on Quetta’s outskirts. Now, she has one goal: to protect the women and children of Balochistan’s conservative society.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by land, has long faced security threats. Separatist groups have escalated their insurgency, using female suicide bombers.
Two years ago, a 30-year-old mother of two blew herself up at Karachi University, killing Chinese academics. She targeted them to protest China’s infrastructure and energy projects in Pakistan.
Baloch separatist groups accuse Pakistan of exploiting the province’s resources without helping locals. The government denies this and claims its projects improve lives.
Due to evolving threats, law enforcement agencies have recruited more female officers.
“We are not lady constables,” Suleman told Arab News. “We are police officers. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with men to protect women, children, and fight terrorism.”
The recent graduation of 1,600 cadets from the Police Training College, including 386 women, marks a major shift in Balochistan’s security.
“In Punjab and Sindh, female officers were already in higher numbers,” Suleman said. “Now, Balochistan is catching up.”
According to police officials, female officers trained alongside men. They completed shooting drills and studied Pakistan’s Penal Code.
Now, women officers will check vehicles, investigate crimes, and conduct raids.
“In 2014, only 32 women served in Balochistan’s police,” said Station House Officer Zarghoona Kakar, who trained Suleman’s batch. “As crimes against women increased, the department expanded their numbers to over 500.”
“Women officers will now be everywhere,” she added. “Gone are the days when they were limited to raids and office work.”
Their induction comes at a critical time. In 2024, Balochistan saw nearly 40 attacks on police, killing 25 and injuring 61.
Many new officers had to defy societal and family pressures. Graduate Javeriya Sarwar stressed the importance of parental support.
