Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Krishna Kumari, the newly elected Senate member on Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) ticket, Monday took oath wearing traditional Thari dress.

Krishna’s parents accompanied her to the Senate. They were also clad in the same Thari costume.

Kumari is the first Hindu woman elected on the women reserved seat for minorities from Sindh.

Kolhi belongs to a remote village in Nagarparkar district of Thar in Sindh. She is from the family of the valiant freedom fighter Rooplo Kolhi, who had waged a war against the invading British colonialist forces when they had attacked Sindh from Nagarparkar side in 1857. Subsequently, he was arrested and hanged by the Britishers on August 22, 1858.

She had joined the PPP as a social activist along with her brother, who was later elected chairman of Union Council Berano. Kolhi also actively participated and worked for the rights of downtrodden people of marginalised communities living in Thar and other areas.

Different senators hailing from her party shared her photographs on social media as she took oath of the Senate membership. She got married at 16. Her husband supported her to continue her studies. At 38, she holds a master’s degree in sociology from Sindh University.

Her election represents a major milestone for women and minority rights in Pakistan. Earlier, PPP had elected first Hindu woman named Ratna Bhagwandas Chawla as a senator.

Published in Daily Times, March 13^th 2018.