The minority women taking on Pakistan's political elite to campaign for better health

When Sunita Parmar Menghwar became frustrated at the lack of health care, water and education in her corner of Pakistan, she had little hope existing politicians would improve things.

Believing her community had been neglected and betrayed by the political elite, she decided instead to take matters into her own hands, and stand for election herself.

For people like Mrs Parmar, Pakistan's politics is not an easy world to enter.

As well as a Hindu woman in a country that is 96 per cent Muslim, she is also one of Pakistan's 40 so-called scheduled castes – those at the bottom of the caste hierarchy who are known in neighbouring India as dalits, or untouchables.

In a country where politics is often the preserve of a dynastic elite or the sport of feudal landowners, to contest an open seat as a minority woman is almost unheard of.

Sunita Parmar Menghwar

Undaunted, the 39-year-old from Tharparkar last month joined a handful of women from similar castes and religious minorities elsewhere in the country, trying to get elected onto Pakistan's provincial or national assemblies.

While their numbers were small and none of the independent candidates were elected, the very fact they even stood, often to improve health and education, has been described as a milestone by campaigners.

“I took this stand for the people of Tharparkar, for the people of my ‘status’,” she told the Telegraph.

“Because they don’t have representatives to voice their concerns. Thar has always been ruled by the feudal class, but they have given us nothing. They only visit us during election time to collect votes. They give money in exchange for votes, and people accept it out of greed. And then they leave.”

“Our people don’t realise the importance of their vote – they sell themselves. The people of Thar do not have roads, water to drink, hospitals, schools – the basic necessities of life.”

Pakistan's minorities have this year seen the first election of a female, scheduled caste Hindu senator, Krishna Kumari Kohli. At the time of her election she vowed to work for the “empowerment of women, their health, and education”.

Pakistan's assembly has 70 seats reserved for minorities and women, but the general election also saw the first election of a Hindu politician to a general seat, Mahesh Kumar Malan.

Seema Maheshwari, a human rights activist in Sindh, said the fact many of the 10 minority women had stood for general seats as independents in the rural parts of the province or in the port of Karachi was a “sea change”.

She said it was sign of growing confidence among women. She said: “We can see that not only male persons, but also female persons can stand. Women think they are adults, they are citizens, they are also human beings.”

Basic healthcare, clean water and education were often the core of their election demands.

The Thar desert in Sindh province is one of the most deprived parts of the country and its residents are largely Hindu.

Sunita Parmar Menghwar

Mrs Parmar, a university graduate from the local city of Mithi, said: “In particular, I would like to open a hospital that has a gynecology department, with all the equipment and tools for delivery, so women don’t have to travel far. The way it is in other places. Many women die during child birth.

“When I go out campaigning, I notice that there are hospitals – but no doctors. There are schools – but no teachers. When I talk to people, I sense their frustration. The biggest issue is the lack of clean drinking water.”

Another minority candidate, a Christian woman called Nomi Bashir, had similar complaints in Karachi.

“There is no water, we don’t have proper roads and our education system is completely flawed,” she said in a newspaper interview while on the campaign trail.

The rough-and-tumble of Pakistan's politics can be tough for candidates without money or powerful support.

Mrs Parmar said she had been intimidated and told to back down.

“Yes, there have been instances where I’ve gotten calls telling me to step aside. These feudals that rule over us have tried to pressure me. They’d call at my house and say, 'Tell Sunita to step aside'. But I have stepped forward for my community and I will not back down. I’m not alone, I have the entire downtrodden class with me.”

On the July 25 polling day she picked up 352 votes. The winner, Fakir Sher Mohammad of the Pakistan People's Party, picked up nearly 55,000.

Perhaps it was fear that stopped her neighbours voting for her, or perhaps they were paid off, she said.

"I thought more people would vote, I thought I would win,” she told the Telegraph.

“But I still feel happy. I don’t care about win or loss, I’m happy I competed. I met with the people, took part in the process and represented my community. It was a great experience.”

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