Minority Hindu women making strides in govt jobs in Pak

Pakistan's minority Hindu community, especially women, has long been sidelined when it comes to climbing up the ladder to reach public posts, but not anymore.

Pushpa Kumari is the latest example of Hindu women making impressive strides. The 29-year-old, who hails from the scheduled caste Kohli community became the first Hindu female assistant sub-inspector of police after passing the provincial competitive examinations in Sindh.

In January, Suman Pawan Bodani, became the first Female Hindu Civil Judge of Pakistan. Bodani, who hails from Sindh's Shahdadkot area, stood 54th in the merit list for the appointment of civil judge/judicial magistrate.

Last year, another woman from Kohli community, Krishna Kumari, became the first senator of Pakistan.

Pushpa , who has been inducted into Sindh Police, did not always dream of becoming a policewoman. She graduated in 'critical care' from Dow University of Health Sciences in 2014, and until last year worked as an intensive care unit (ICU) technologist at a trauma Centre, the Express Tribune reported.

"There are many Hindu girls in the medical profession, she told the daily while explaining her choice. I wanted to do something different and that is why I decided to appear in the public service commission exam for police.

Pushpa applied for the vacant ASI post in 2018. She sat for her written public service commission exam in January this year. The exam was followed by a final interview. Then, two weeks ago, she finally saw her name appear in the final list of qualified candidates.

Pushpa's dream does not stop here. My plan now is to obtain a masters degree in criminology. I also intend to appear in other exams, particularly if the Sindh government announces a post for the deputy superintendent of police, she told the daily.

With my choice to join the police, other girls and women will decide to be daring in their career choices and maybe join the police, army, air force or navy, she said.

The youngest of five siblings, Pushpa grew up in a middle class family in the Samaro town of Sindh's Mirpurkhas district. Her mother works for the population welfare department as a family planning technical officer. Her father runs a grocery store.

Both her parents seem to have instilled a drive for success in each of the five siblings. Like her, they, they too are on a quest to appear in competitive exams, she told the daily. My brother Bharat Kumar, for instance, went to New Delhi on scholarship and completed his master's degree in sociology from the South Asia University, she said. My maternal uncle, who is a Grade 19 officer, is the source of inspiration for me.

Pushpa worked for the non-governmental Marie Stopes Society' in her hometown before joining the medical field which she ultimately stepped away from. She now lives in Karachi with her husband, Narain Das, who works as a supervisor for Bahria Town.