By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: Punjab Safe Cities Authority’s initiative to train officials in sign language for the assistance of differently-abled individuals has shown its practical benefits. In a recent incident from Khanewal, a speech-impaired girl, subjected to domestic violence, managed to seek help through a video call to the Virtual Women Police Station.
According to the details, during the video call, the girl communicated her distress using sign language, informing the Safe Cities officials that she was being subjected to violence by her family and had been locked in a room. the officials quickly understood the situation and immediately dispatched the local police to the location. The police acted swiftly, safely recovered the girl, and mediated a reconciliation between the family members. Punjab Safe Cities Authority is committed to ensuring immediate and effective police assistance for differently-abled individuals. To this end, extensive sign language training is being provided to staff members. Moreover, all Safe Cities platforms, including the Women Safety App, the Virtual Women Police Station, and the official web portal, have been upgraded to allow differently-abled individuals to easily register complaints and seek assistance. A dedicated, trained team is available round the clock to understand and address complaints from differently-abled citizens, ensuring timely police response. Citizens with speech or hearing impairments can register complaints directly through video calls, the Women Safety App, or the Safe Cities website. Punjab Safe Cities Authority has reaffirmed its commitment to utilizing all available resources to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all citizens, ensuring that no one is left without protection or access to assistance.
