Amara Athar makes history as Lahore’s first female CTO

LAHORE: In a groundbreaking move, the Punjab government has appointed Amara Athar, a BS-19 police officer, as the Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) of Lahore. This historic appointment marks the first time a woman has held this pivotal position in the provincial capital.

Amara Athar, the fourth woman police officer to be posted in Lahore, reflects the proactive approach of Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. Usman Anwar in prioritising female officers for significant field assignments, a report by Dawn News wrote. The decision represents a departure from the longstanding tradition of male-dominated policing in the province.

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Taking over from retired Capt Mustansar Feroz, who served as Lahore CTO for the past year, Amara Athar’s appointment comes amid several male contenders for the position. However, the IGP’s preference for a woman officer is attributed to the remarkable performance of another female officer, Aysha Butt, who previously served as Gujranwala CTO.

Aysha Butt received accolades for bringing about reforms in the Gujranwala traffic police, including the establishment of the country’s first traffic theme park. This innovative park features a walk track adorned with traffic signs to enhance public awareness of traffic rules. The Sindh Police, impressed by this initiative, even requested the Punjab Police to share the scheme. Aysha Butt and her team received a cash award from the IGP for their outstanding services.

The decision to appoint a woman as Lahore CTO was further influenced by the commendable performance of Lahore Investigation SSP Dr. Anoosh Masood Chaudhry in handling cases, particularly those on May 9. Dr Chaudhry’s effective evidence collection and successful submission of challans in high-profile cases contributed to the IGP’s decision.

Other notable female police officers appointed in Lahore include SSP Sidra Khan from Lahore Sadar Division, SP Aqeela Naqvi from the Crime Record Office (CRO), and ASP Syeda Sheharbano from Gulberg. Ms. Sheharbano, recognised as the most inspiring female police officer, has been nominated to participate in the World Summit Award-2024 in Dubai.

Amara Athar, having previously served as Model Town SP in Lahore, brings a wealth of experience to her new role as CTO. Meanwhile, the outgoing CTO, Mustansar Feroz, will assume the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Punjab Safe City Authority (PSCA).

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In addition to Feroz, two other officers, Elite Force DIG Sadiq Dogar and DIG Syed Amin Bukhar, had applied for the PSCA COO post. Following interviews conducted by a panel led by Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akthar Zaman, Feroz was selected for his exceptional performance as Lahore CTO.

The IGP recommended Feroz for the PSCA COO position in a notification issued on Monday. Furthermore, the Chief Security Officer of the Punjab Chief Minister, Hamza Amanullah, has been transferred and appointed as the Personal Staff Officer (PSO) to Punjab IGP vice Sahibzada Bilal Umar, who will now serve as AIG admin at Central Police Office.