An independent candidate named Sunita Parmar has made history in Pakistan as she becomes the first Hindu woman to contest provincial Assembly elections. Parmar, who hails from the Hindu Meghwar community, is contesting polls from Tharparkar district in Pakistan's southern Sindh province.
Parmar has battled with incessant pressure from the male-dominated feudal landlords to not contest elections scheduled for July 25. The 30-year-old has, however, refused to bow down to the political pressure, Press Trust of India reported.
Parmar filed her nomination papers as an independent candidate from PS-56, as she breaks barriers to challenge the status quo based on a feudal-electoral system that is prevalent in Tharparkar.
"Thari women are even ready to fight the lion now after so many disappointments," Parmar told Press Trust of India. She added that there was not a single political party that worked toward improving the lives of people in Tharparkar district following which she decided to join politics.
"Politicians imprison the women. From this, it can be gauged that how much they are sincere with the prosperity of women," she said in a video message as reported by Daily Times Pakistan. She further added:
"I don't have any enmity or opposition with anyone but it is need of the hour that women's existence and capabilities should be accepted. My goals are very clear. I want to work for girls' education and play my role in providing basic health facilities on every doorstep."
According to 2017 census, Tharpakar district in Southern Pakistan comprises nearly 600,000 Hindus out of the total 1.6 million people living in the area. This is also the place with the highest number of Hindus living in Pakistan.
Parmar, who is a mother of three children, has received the support of her family and friends and believes that she could indeed make a difference to the lives of the people.
In a similar remarkable feat, Krishna Kumari Kolhi became Pakistan's first ever Hindu Dalit woman Senator after being nominated by the Pakistan Peoples Party for the elections.
In the history of Thar Sunita Parmar is consist the Election as Azad Umedwar. #VoteFor_Sunita_Parmar#PS56_Islamkot pic.twitter.com/pZ3t8r2i3Z
— Lal Girdhari (@lal_lalgirdhari) June 6, 2018
Sunita Parmar is the first ever Hindu #Thari woman to contest the upcoming provincial assembly elections from #Tharparkar, #Pakistan. Beside political pressure, she has refused to withdraw her nomination for PS-56. More power to her for breaking barriers & taking up this fight. pic.twitter.com/fiPwCyGLwM
— Shaan (@Shanyousaf6) June 7, 2018
