Over a month since the Virtual Women’s Police Stations were set up in the provincial metropolis, it remains to be seen whether this initiative by the Punjab Police will be a success story or go down as another of the department’s many projects that ended up being merely costly propositions.

The police bosses claim that it’s going to be a game changer, especially with regard to the security and safety of women who make up more than 50 percent of the Punjab’s population.

So far, the VWPS desks have been set up at six divisional SPs’ offices, Dolphin Headquarters, Police Lines Qila Gujjar Singh, and Police Station Racecourse. Dedicated staff at these stations caters to complaints of violence, domestic abuse, harassment and psychological distress. A unique feature of these virtual police stations is the live video call-in service. Besides, the stations provide the women with guidance through all stages of FIR registration, investigation and prosecution.

Additionally, the implementation of emergency helpline and the enhancement of women safety apps ensure immediate contact with the Punjab Safe Cities Authority.

Aqsa Fayyaz, in charge of the VWPS, tells TNS that the project aims “to provide access to police support without the need to visit the offices.” The best part about the project is that women “can report their complaints anonymously. Trained IT graduates are here to assist them.”

According to Fayyaz, the staff at these stations work in three shifts round the clock; each shift consisting of 30 staff members who are IT-trained. She says that ladies’ calls on police emergency number 15 are automatically transferred to the VWPS with the help of AI. “We receive at least a thousand calls from across the Punjab,” she says. “Most cases are related to domestic violence. Usually, these cases are resolved when the parties reconcile, following police intervention.” However, if the matter isn’t resolved and the complainant doesn’t want their identity to be revealed, then the police become the complainant and pursue the case.

As per Fayyaz, so far 500 cases have been registered, and challans of 47 cases submitted in the courts. “We follow up on the case and keep an eye on the performance and attitude of the concerned police dealing with the complainant.

“In cases where heinous crimes have been committed, if the complainant withdraws without any solid reason, we refer the case to the concerned DPO to investigate whether the complainant has been harassed/ threatened.”

Highlighting the significance of the unique video call feature, Tayyab Sattar, the spokesperson for the Safe City Project, says once the in-laws of a young girl locked her in a room after an altercation with her. She made an emergency video call to the centre and informed the staff about the incident. A police party was immediately sent to the spot to rescue her. When the police reached the spot, her in-laws tried to mislead the cops by telling them that she had escaped. But the girl had shared her exact location with the centre. This helped them reach her.

Sattar calls VWPS a “unique project, and the first of its kind in South Asia that will go a long way in ensuring that women have quick access to the police for their safety and security.”

Ahsan Zia is a print and broadcast journalist