Pakistan’s First Hindu Female Candidate

Saveera Parkash: Pioneering Hindu Woman Contests Pakistan’s 2024 Elections

Saveera Parkash, a Hindu woman hailing from Buner in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is set to make history as she becomes the first Hindu woman in Pakistan to vie for a political seat in the upcoming February 2024 general elections. Making waves in her community, Parkash is not only breaking new ground as the country’s first Hindu female candidate but is also the first woman from Buner to officially enter the electoral race.

A proud member of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Parkash, a medical school graduate, filed her nomination papers on December 23 for the general seat of PK-25. Currently serving as the general secretary of the PPP women’s wing in Buner, she is dedicated to advocating for the welfare of her community and the nation at large. Committed to championing women’s rights and empowerment, Parkash comes from a political lineage. Her father, Oam Parkash, a retired doctor, has been a PPP member for over three and a half decades.

Saveera Parkash, in an interview with Dawn, emphasized that her candidacy revolves around empowering women, given her status as a representative from a minority community.

A 2022 graduate of Abbottabad International Medical College, Parkash underscored that her life’s mission has always been centered on serving people, whether through medicine or leadership. Describing serving humanity as ingrained in her, she spoke about her firsthand experiences in the medical field that fueled her desire to venture into politics.

At 25 years old, she is among the 3,139 women candidates participating in the upcoming elections, where 5% of seats are reserved for women, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan.

As the political landscape heats up in Pakistan with prominent leaders like Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz Sharif, and Imran Khan in the fray, Saveera Parkash brings a fresh perspective and a commitment to social betterment through her historic candidacy.

_{Repurposed article originally published in ShethePeople}