LAHORE: (Tuesday, April 14, 2026): Punjab University Department of Gender Studies and Punjab Probation and Parole Service Lahore have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the office of the Punjab Probation and Parole Service, Home Department. The agreement was signed by Chairperson Department of Gender Studies Prof Dr Rubina Zakar and Director General, Punjab Probation and Parole Service Muhammad Shahid Iqbal. On this occasion, focal persons from both sides, Convenor External Linkages Department of Gender Studies Dr Ambreen Salahuddin and Assistant Director, PPPS Ms. Aisha Allah Ditta were also present. The MoU aims to establish a collaborative framework for promoting research, training, and community engagement at the intersection of gender and the criminal justice system. The partnership will focus on areas such as gender-sensitive rehabilitation, capacity building of probation and parole staff, student engagement through internships and fieldwork, and joint initiatives addressing reintegration challenges faced by offenders, particularly women and other marginalized groups. Prof Dr Rubeena Zakar commended the remarkable work done by PPPS under the leadership of Muhammad Shahid Iqbal. Muhammad Shahid Iqbal shared the prior collaboration and constructive input by the chairperson DGS with PPPS. This partnership marks a significant step towards integrating academic expertise with practical rehabilitation efforts, with the shared objective of fostering a more inclusive, equitable, and gender-responsive approach within the probation and parole system of Punjab. The ceremony was also attended by Nazia Abdul Ghaffar and Nudrat Kamal, and team members of PPPS, reflecting the department’s commitment to strengthening institutional collaborations.