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LAHORE, Apr 19 (APP):In a significant step toward strengthening the digital safety of women in Punjab, the Punjab Women Protection Authority (PWPA) and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) have agreed to establish a dedicated Cyber Patrolling Unit.
The decision was made during a high-level meeting chaired by PWPA Chairperson Hina Parvez Butt at the Authority’s central office in Wahdat Colony, Lahore. The meeting was attended by Additional Director NCCIA Lahore Zone Muhammad Sarfraz Chaudhry, along with senior officials from both institutions.
The meeting expressed serious concern over the rising incidents of online crimes against women and girls across Punjab. In response, it was decided to establish a joint Cyber Patrolling Unit and sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize this collaboration.
The collaboration aims to ensure more vigilant digital monitoring and timely legal support for victims. The initiative follows the clear directives of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who has declared that “crimes against women are absolutely intolerable.”
Talking on the occasion, PWPA Chairperson Hina Parvez Butt said that the Cyber Patrolling Unit will actively monitor social media and other digital platforms to curb incidents of harassment, blackmailing, distribution of explicit content, and other forms of cybercrimes targeting women. The unit aimed not only to detect and prevent such offenses in a timely manner but also to provide immediate legal assistance to affected women.
The chairperson added that the new unit will streamline the reporting mechanisms, ensuring that FIRs were registered promptly and legal action was carried out transparently and efficiently. In addition to enforcement, the initiative will focus on prevention by launching awareness campaigns, digital literacy drives, and workshops to empower women to protect themselves in the digital space.
Hina Parvez Butt said that the Punjab government was committed to safeguarding the dignity, safety, and autonomy of women. She announced that following the signing of the MoU, the joint Cyber Patrolling Unit will become operational in the near future.