A Hindu woman, Saveera Parkash, from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Buner district has submitted her nomination papers for a general seat in the upcoming Pakistani polls.
The general elections, slated for February 8, 2024, will determine the composition of the 16th National Assembly.
Saveera Parkash is a member of the Hindu community who seeks to contest on a Pakistan People's Party (PPP) ticket, following in the footsteps of her father, Oam Parkash, a recently retired doctor and a dedicated PPP member of 35 years.
According to ANI, local politician Saleem Khan, affiliated with the Qaumi Watan Party, noted that Parkash has made history in Buner by being the first woman to submit nomination papers for the upcoming elections on a general seat.
A 2022 graduate of Abbottabad International Medical College, Parkash currently serves as the general secretary of the PPP women's wing in Buner.
According to a Dawn report, Parkash expressed her commitment to community welfare and highlighted her desire to work towards the betterment of women, ensuring a safe environment and advocating for their rights.
Parkash drew attention to the historical neglect and suppression of women in the development sector, aiming to address these issues if elected.
She also shared her aspirations to follow in her father's footsteps, working for the betterment of the area's underprivileged.
Having submitted her nomination papers on December 23, Parkash expressed hope that the senior leadership of the PPP would endorse her candidature.
Pakistan General Assembly Polls
As per reports, 28,626 candidates have filed their nominations to contest the February 8 general elections in Pakistan so far. At least 1,322 candidates, including 39 women, are contesting for 45 general seats in the National Assembly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Both women and non-Muslims can also contest on all 266 general seats apart from participating on the 60 and 10 seats reserved for them respectively.
The Election Commission of Pakistan data showed that 3,139 women (over 11 per cent) of the total 28,626 candidates have filed nomination papers for 2024 general elections across the country, far more than the number of women who submitted nominations for the 2018 and 2013 general elections. As many as 1,687 women had filed nomination papers in the 2018 general elections while a total of 1,171 women in the 2013 elections.
