ISLAMABAD – A Hindu woman from the so-called ‘untouchables’ caste in Indiahas been elected to Pakistan’s Senate. Her successful candidacy marks thefirst time a Hindu woman from the Dalit caste has been voted in as asenator.
Representing the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Krishna Kumari defeated aTaliban-linked cleric during Saturday’s Senate elections, securing a seatin the upper house representing Sindh province.
An advocate for minority rights, 39-year-old Kumari was born to a poorfamily in a remote village in southeast Pakistan. As a child, her familywas held captive as bonded laborers for at least three years.
Speaking to local media before the election, Kumari said that *“education,health and water would be my primary target areas as a lawmaker.”*
She also emphasized that boosting education for girls in Sindh provincewould be her top priority, tellinglink>GulfNews:* “The real power is education. It empowers you to develop personallyand become politically active.”*
Kumari was nominated to run for the Senate seat by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari,leader of the PPP and son of former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto,who was assassinated in 2007.
Kumari’s brother, Veerji Kohli, is a prominent human rights activist whowas charged with murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017. Fellowactivists and the PPP say the charges were politically motivated.
After spending nearly a year in prison, Kolhi was freed by court order onMarch 2 – just one day before his sister was elected to the Senate.