KARACHI: While proving that the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) has its roots within all the communities of Pakistan, the party has gotten elected a Christian and a Hindu as senators.
PPP’s ticket holders Anwar Lal Deen and Krishna Kohli, aka Keshoo Bai, became senators in the elections held in the Sindh Assembly on Saturday.
While talking to Pakistan Today, PPP leader Saeed Ghani said his party leadership has always believed in equality and nomination of Anwar Lal Dean and Keshoo Bai is the continuity of this policy of the party.
“In the past, PPP nominated old workers, like Almas from Lyari, Aajiz Dhamrah, Maula Bux Chandio, Saeed Ghani, Karim Khawaja, Dr Sikandar Mendhro, and others for the Senate elections from Sindh,” he added.
“No other political party except Pakistan Peoples’ Party ever awarded tickets to non-Muslim in such a large number,” Ghani said.
Lal Deen, the newly elected senator, told Pakistan Today that he was an old jiyala since Zia regime and remained president of the minority wing of Karachi division for more than 15 years. He thanked party’s leadership for getting him elected to the upper house.
Krishna Kohli told Pakistan Today that PPP is the only party who has roots in all communities of Pakistan. “The entire Hindu community and I thank the PPP leadership for nominating a Hindu girl from the remote areas of Thar to represent Hindu community in the Senate,” she added.
Krishna Kolhi is the first-ever Dalit woman nominated for the Senate seat. Her caste is mentioned at No 23 in Pakistan’s Schedule Castes Ordinance 1957.
Dalit, which means oppressed or broken people, has become an alternate collective identification for the 40 non-Muslim castes declared in the aforementioned ordinance.
The honour to nominate first-ever non-Muslim Senator is also enjoyed by the PPP, which elected a Dalit Dr Khatumal Jeewan as Senator in 2009 on a general seat. Likewise, Engineer Gianchand is the second Dalit to be elected as Senator in 2015 by the PPP on a general seat.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari-led PPP also nominated and got elected Hariram Kishorilal as Senator on the seat reserved for non-Muslims from Sindh in 2012.
With the election of Kohli and Laal Deen, the number of PPP’s non-Muslims senators would reach six, an unmatched representation in the house by any other political party.
Congrats Ms Krishna Kohli and Mr Anwer Lal Din for becoming the Elected Senators. God Bless You both. Our best wishes are with you.
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