The Gender Protection Unit Islamabad had received more than 500 citizen complaints in the last three months and on which immediate action was taken and provided to victims.

Gender Protection Unit Islamabad In-charge ASP Amna Baig, while talking to a private news channel, informed that these complaints were registered at toll-free helpline 8090, adding, 25 per cent of the complains were reported from neighborhood.

The Islamabad capital police have launched the gender protection unit with an aim to help women and children who are victims of harassment, domestic violence, sexual assault and other related issues.

She said a well-trained female police officer has been deployed at the desk of the unit besides the medical staff, including a psychiatrist, legal aid groups available at the facility to assist the vulnerable women and children.

The victims could report for help at their toll free number 8090 round the clock, said Baig, adding, a team instantly approach the person for facilitation on receiving the complaint.

Responding to a question, she said protection unit Islamabad with the collaboration of ministry of human right was providing safe shelter to destitute persons.

“We have 90% per cent positive feedback from all the complainants, and the biggest success has been the neighbors’ reporting domestic violence”, she said while responding a query.

Recently, UN Women Pakistan along with Federal Judiciary Academy Islamabad organized a panel discussion to understand the causes for increasing instances of violence against women and its response from bench and bar.

The discussion was attended by lawyers from Islamabad Bar Council and law students from Fatima Jinnah Women University along with judges from the Academy.

In a recent wave of gender based violence against women in the federal capital and other parts of the country, gruesome murder cases were reported. One of them was the daughter of former ambassador, Noor Muqaddam, who was beheaded in the upscale sector of Islamabad on July 20. According to the recent update of the case, the accused Zahir Jaffer was given American counselor access as he had dual citizenship.

On the other hand a poor woman, Naseem Bibi, along with her toddler was murdered in Rawalpindi in the month of July.

Social media users responded in anger over the recent wave of brutal violence cases against women. One of the user said the Pakistani men’s heads hang in shame as they fail women and children of the country every single day.

One of the users said the men in power constantly blame and shame women [when the cases of gender based violence emerged against them].

Another user demanded structural changes in criminal justice system [to deal the cases of violence against women].

With input from News Desk