The picture of a woman commando of Punjab’s Elite Force, holding a gun in her hands with henna tattoos, has gone viral over the internet.
The image, first shared by self-proclaimed security analyst Zaid Hamid, took social media by storm on Tuesday.
“Super cute… Hina on hands and guns in hands… on duty Pakistani girls… [sic],” he wrote while tweeting the image that has now gone viral. Hamid also wondered if the commando had recently gotten married.
The image has been receiving mixed reaction on Twitter.
The Elite Force of Punjab Police specialises in counter-terrorist operations and VIP security duties. It is known for acting against serious crimes and performing high-risk operations that can’t be carried out by the regular police.
According to information released by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in 2010, women first became part of the police force in the subcontinent in 1939 when seven female constables and a head constable were inducted to contain female agitators of a farmers’ movement in Punjab.
There was no significant change in numbers until 1952 when 25 constables, two head constables and an assistant superintendant were recruited.
Inclusion of women to Pakistan’s anti-terror squads was initiated in the 1990s. With women joining the force in large numbers over the years, the trend has continued since.
In October 2001, less than a month after the 9/11 attacks, the first women-only anti-terror squad was established in the country.
