Women in private security

Women in private security


IN Pakistan, security profession lacks opportunities for women. Although a number of women are working in some security organisations as lady searchers, they are not yet seen doing field security duties in private security companies.

Security organisations which need manpower do not cosider women suitable for security duties. As such, these companies have also not taken any initiative in offering security jobs to women.

Contrary to this view, we have observed that whenever opportunities are provided to women for any tough and courageous job, they have always proved their worth and never lagged behind men. Induction of women as fighter pilots in the Pakistan Air Force is a recent example. Some time back it was generally thought that women cannot fly an aircraft, but now they are successful fighter pilots. Former minister Nilofar Bakhtiar, as a successful paraglider, has recently proved to the world that Pakistani women are second to none in physically tough and daring activities.

Similarly, women in our country have also made their career in the police. Recently, they have taken up the job of traffic warden in Lahore.

They ride heavy motorcycles, chasing traffic violators. These women have not only proved themselves as an effective traffic warden but have also brought a pleasant change on the roads. Women are also doing successfully in the Airport Security Force. Now they are also being inducted into armed forces as officers in various other branches, which were previously considered unsuitable for women.

Women think differently than men. They are sensitive and humanistic and react to situations on an individual basis. Men tend to be short-term goal-oriented, while women usually are long-term goal-oriented. Women can stand the confusion and disarray that come with handling several things at one time, and they find change less frustrating than their male counterparts.

On the one hand, there is an acute shortage of guards in private security companies and, on the other hand, there is a lot of demand for security guards by organisations and individuals. This can be met by inducting women into private security system.

We only need to train and educate them about the benefits of pursuing a career in security profession.

Young and educated women can be an effective guard force. Their training can be carried out either by private companies in their in-house training facility or they can be sent to the All Pakistan Security Agencies Association Training School and Pakistan Institute of Security Management at Karachi. After training, these women guards can be deployed on day duties in conjunction with senior security guards or independently in organisations where women are mostly working or in schools, etc

Induction of women in private security companies will not only provide job opportunities to unemployed young and educated women but will also help in meeting the acute shortage of male security guards in their companies.

SQN LDR (r) S.AUSAF HUSAIN
Karachi