(Web Desk) – In an interesting move, Lahore CTO Amara Athar, the city’s first woman traffic chief, has been replaced by none other than her husband, inviting positive and playful comments on social media.
In a twist that has led to widespread social media commentary, DIG Athar Waheed, who was appointed as Lahore CTO on Saturday, is the husband of Amara.
His appointment has also led to the upgrade of the CTO position to the rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG).
“It was an honour to be your Chief Traffic Officer for the year 2024,” Amara said on X.
“May you all continue to work with dedication and professionalism for the safety of road users,” she commented.
BS-19 police officer Amara was appointed Lahore CTO last December, making her the first woman police officer to hold the key traffic control assignment in the provincial capital.
“Ms Athar replaced retired Capt Mustansar Feroz, who had been holding the Lahore CTO post for the last one year,” Punjab police said in a statement at the time, adding that there were many male contenders for the top slot of the Lahore traffic police, but Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar preferred the decorated woman officer.
Amara was the fourth woman police officer posted in Lahore under Anwar, showing the Punjab Inspector General’s “policy of prioritising female officers for the field assignments in a bid to change the decades-old tradition of ‘male dominant’ policing in the province,” Punjab police said.
Paying tribute to first woman CTO, social media users commented Amara Athar actively performed her duty and strictly implemented traffic rules, especially making motorcyclists wear helmets, an important measure to check casualties occurred through head injuries.
One netizen hoped her husband will too follow in his wife’s footprints to correct traffic chaos on city roads.