Who is Saveera Parkash, the first Hindu woman of Pakistan contesting for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Buner seat?

Buner, Dec 26: For the first time, a Hindu woman in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Buner district has filed her nomination papers for a general seat in the upcoming polls in Pakistan. It is pertinent to mention that general elections are scheduled to be held in Pakistan on February 8, 2024, to elect the members of the 16th National Assembly.

Saveera Parkash has officially submitted her nomination papers for the general seat of PK-25 in Buner district.

A member of the Hindu community, Parkash is optimistic about contesting the elections on a Pakistan People's Party (PPP) ticket, following in the footsteps of her father, Oam Parkash, a recently retired doctor and a dedicated member of the PPP for the past 35 years.

Parkash is the first woman from Buner to submit nomination papers for the upcoming elections on a general seat.

Parkash, a 2022 graduate of Abbottabad International Medical College, serves as the general secretary of the PPP women's wing in Buner. Expressing her commitment to the welfare of the community, she highlighted her desire to work for the betterment of women, ensuring a safe environment and advocating for their rights.

Parkash, with a background in medicine, emphasised that her commitment to "serving humanity is in my blood." Her dream of becoming an elected legislator stems from her firsthand experiences with poor management and helplessness in government hospitals during her medical career.

This emphasizes the significance of a woman stepping forward to contest elections in a region where it took 55 years since Buner merged with Pakistan.

Recent amendments by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) mandate a five per cent inclusion of women candidates in general seats.