QUETTA  -  The Balochistan govern­ment has established anti-harassment cells in the dis­trict headquarters hospitals of 34 districts and major government hospitals in Quetta to deal with harass­ment issues in the province.

The provincial govern­ment has issued instructions to the heads of the newly established anti-harassment cells to issue immediate medical reports of incidents at the local level instead of transferring suspected deaths and victims of attacks to hospitals in Quetta.

It will also work to elimi­nate such cases and enable the government to resolve their issues without delay, a news release said.

According to the notifi­cation of the Balochistan Health Department, these cells have been established under the Anti-Sexual Ha­rassment Act 2021, whereas police surgeons and medi­cal legal officers have been also appointed in these special cells. Commission on Status of Women Balo­chistan Chairperson Fauzia Shaheen appreciated the ef­forts of Secretary of Health Balochistan Isfandiar Khan Kakar and Secretary Women Development Department Syed Sikandar Shah and termed the establishment of anti-harassment cells in hos­pitals as a positive step.

Fouzia Shaheen said that the establishment of these special cells will enable the investigation of serious crimes and the provision of medical assistance in legal matters at the local level.

The cells would also help sufficiently eliminate ha­rassment issues and the accused can be brought to justice, Fouzia said. She said that the Commission on Status of Women fully supports these historic ini­tiatives which have been pending for a long time. The establishment of anti-harassment cells in district hospitals was a long-stand­ing demand of the Commis­sion on Status of Women.