A Retrospective Analysis of the 2016 Initiative that Changed Women’s Safety Landscape
In late 2016, amid rising concerns about women’s safety in Punjab, a groundbreaking technological solution emerged from the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA). This initiative would later be recognized as a pivotal moment in Pakistan’s public safety infrastructure.
The Vision and Leadership
Dr. Akbar Nasir Khan, then COO of PSCA and a Harvard Kennedy School graduate, envisioned a technology-driven solution to address women’s safety concerns. His academic background in business administration and civil engineering, combined with international experience with UN peacekeeping missions, brought a unique perspective to the project. The academic and research impetus for this project came from Dr. Suleman Shahid and Prof. Syed Muhammad Hassan from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS).
Technical Innovation
Under the technical leadership of Shamsher Haider, Deputy Chief System Integration, the project took shape as more than just an app – it became an integrated safety ecosystem. Haider’s expertise in systems integration and cybersecurity augmented by technical skills of Umair Ayub ensured the app would seamlessly connect with PSCA’s sophisticated command and control infrastructure.
The technical execution fell to Andorid Lead Kamal Subnani, whose expertise in Android development proved crucial. Subnani’s experience with Firebase, API integration, and robust testing methodologies ensured the app’s reliability in critical situations. (Later on the iOS Lead Umair Sukhera released the IOS vserison of this app to increase the reach to iPhone users)
Key Features and Implementation
The women safety app introduced several innovative features:
– Geo-located emergency reporting
– Direct integration with PPIC3 systems
– Multiple response modes including panic button
– Educational content about harassment laws
– Connection to dedicated 15 helpline operators
– Integration with multiple emergency services
Impact and Results
The women safety app initiative achieved several significant outcomes:
– Reduced response time to harassment incidents
– Increased reporting of harassment cases
– Enhanced public awareness about women’s rights
– Created a model for other provinces to follow
– Established a technology-driven approach to public safety
Legacy and Influence
The women safety app project’s success influenced future public safety initiatives across Pakistan. It demonstrated how technology could bridge the gap between citizens and law enforcement, particularly in sensitive cases requiring immediate response.
2020 Enhancement Initiative
In 2020, the Women Safety App underwent a major transformation through a strategic partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The enhancement project was executed under the comprehensive technical supervision of Chief Software Development Officer Shamsher Haider, who brought his extensive expertise in systems architecture and software development to oversee the technical implementation.
Haider’s technical leadership was instrumental in:
– Architecting the enhanced feature set
– Establishing robust development protocols
– Implementing advanced security measures
– Ensuring seamless integration with existing systems
– Supervising the technical delivery pipeline
– Setting quality assurance standards
Under his technical direction and DIG Kamran Khan’s strategic guidance, a talented development team comprising Kamal Subhani, Umair Anwar Sukhaira, and Moeed Farooq implemented several critical features. The technical implementation followed industry best practices and international security standards, reflecting Haider’s emphasis on building scalable and secure solutions.
The technical enhancements were complemented by an extensive public awareness campaign led by DIG Kamran Khan. The initiative later in 2021 gained significant momentum through the dedicated efforts of CTO Mr. Tariq Malik and Executive Officer PSCA Mr. Safeer Abbas, who organized and conducted numerous public events and awareness sessions. These campaigns were crucial in:
– Increasing public awareness about the app
– Educating communities about women’s safety
– Demonstrating the app’s enhanced features to potential users
– Building trust between law enforcement and citizens
– Creating a network of safety ambassadors
The UNFPA sponsorship, combined with Haider’s technical leadership and the team’s dedicated efforts, marked a significant milestone in the app’s evolution. The enhanced version demonstrated how public sector software projects could achieve international standards of quality and security while maintaining user-friendly interfaces.
Lessons Learned
The women safety app project revealed several key insights:
– The importance of integrated command and control systems
– The need for specialized training for response teams
– The value of combining education with emergency response
– The critical role of user-friendly interface design
– The significance of multi-stakeholder collaboration
Looking Forward
The Women Safety App project set new standards for:
– Public sector technology initiatives
– Emergency response systems
– Women’s safety infrastructure
– Cross-department coordination
– Citizen-centric service design
This initiative stands as a testament to what can be achieved when visionary leadership, technical expertise, and public service commitment converge. The project not only addressed immediate safety concerns but also laid the groundwork for future digital transformation in public safety services.
The success of this project demonstrates how technology, when thoughtfully implemented, can create meaningful social impact. It remains a model for how public sector organizations can leverage technology to address critical social issues while maintaining operational efficiency and user accessibility.
Note: This retrospective analysis is based on the 2016 launch and subsequent implementation of the Women Safety App by PSCA. This project went through multiple iterations and saw multiple relaunches of the same app by different stakeholders due to technical / non technical reasons but the current version of the wormen safety app is essentially a rebrading of the project envisaged by IG Dr Akbar Nasir Khan QPM and his technical team in 2016 .