Who is Saveera Parkash, first Hindu woman to contest elections in Pakistan?

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

Saveera Parkash officially submitted her nomination papers for the upcoming general elections in Pakistan, becoming the first Hindu woman to contest, reported Dawn.

Pakistan will go to polls on February 8 to elect the members of the 16th National Assembly.

Parkash, who is contesting on a Pakistan People's Party (PPP) ticket, officially submitted her nomination papers for the general seat of PK-25 in Buner district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa last week.

She remains optimistic about contesting the elections on a PPP ticket as she follows her father, Om Parkash's, lead. Om Parkash, a doctor, retired recently from the medical profession and has been a dedicated member of the PPP for the past 35 years.

Saleem Khan, a local politician affiliated with the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), highlighted while speaking to the Pakistan-based newspaper Dawn that Saveera is the first woman from Buner to submit nomination papers for the upcoming elections on a general seat.

Saveera Parkash graduated from the Abbottabad International Medical College in 2022. She served as the general secretary of the PPP women's wing in Buner. She has also expressed her desire to work for the betterment of women and advocate for their rights while fighting for a safe environment for them.

Stating that she wants to work for the underprivileged, Parkash told Dawn that if she is elected, she will address the historical neglect and suppression of women in the development sector.

Saveera further said that "serving humanity" is in her blood, and she chose to become an elected legislator after her firsthand experiences with poor management and helplessness in government hospitals, which she witnessed during her medical career.

Saveera was also applauded by Imran Noshad Khan, a social media influencer from Buner, who told the newspaper that he wholeheartedly endorses Saveera Parkash, irrespective of her political affiliation. 

Highlighting that Saveera broke stereotypes, Khan added that Saveera's nomination was remarkable as it had taken almost 55 years for a woman to step forward to contest the elections in Buner.