Meet Balochistan’s first Hindu, youngest woman Assistant Commissioner, her age is...

Kashish Chaudhary, a 25-year-old Pakistani Hindu woman, has made history by becoming the first female from the minority community in Balochistan to be appointed as Assistant Commissioner in the restive province. Kashish, who hails from the remote town of Noshki in district Chagai in the province, qualified Balochistan Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination. On Monday, Kashish, accompanied by her father Girdhari Lal, met Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti in Quetta and told him that she would work for the empowerment of women and minorities, and the overall development of the province. 

“It is a matter of great pride for me that my daughter has become an assistant commissioner due to her hard work and commitment,” Lal told the media. Lal, a mid-level trader, said his daughter had always dreamed of studying and doing something for her women. 

Chief Minister Bugti said it was a matter of pride for the nation when members of the minority communities got to key positions due to their hard work and effort. “Kashish is a symbol of pride for the nation and Balochistan,” he said. 

Woman officers of Balochistan

In recent years, women from the Hindu community have achieved notable success in generally male-dominated fields in Pakistan, overcoming many cultural, religious and social hurdles to get to important positions. In July 2022, Manesh Ropeta became the first Hindu woman to be appointed as Superintendent of Police in Karachi, where she is still fulfilling her duties. 

Pushpa Kumari Kohli, a 35-year-old police sub-inspector in Karachi, said Hindu women have the tenacity and intelligence to reach the top. “I also passed the Sindh police Public Services Examination. There are many more Hindu girls out there waiting to educate themselves and become something,” said Kohli, who belongs to a scheduled caste. 

Suman Pawan Bodani is still serving as a civil judge in Hyderabad after first being appointed as a civil judge in her hometown of Shahdadkot in Sindh province in 2019. 

Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, a politician in Sindh province, believes that young Hindu girls, who are supported by their families, have shown more inclination and initiative to gain education and pursue higher studies. 

“Our young women are doing us proud. We have doctors, civil servants, police officers, etc in Sindh,” he said. He said that despite being notorious for its problem of underage and young Hindu girls being abducted and converted by Muslim men, Sindh required more educational facilities for the Hindu community to counter such menaces. 

Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan. According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)