Suman Bodani becomes Pakistan’s second Hindu female judge

A woman from the minority Hindu community has been appointed as Pakistan’s second female judge from her community.

Suman Pawan Bodani, daughter of Dr Pawan Podani, hails from Shahdadkot. She studied in Shahdadkot till her intermediate and then pursued LLB from Hyderabad. Later, she pursued her LLM from a private educational institute and won a gold medal. She stood 54th in the merit list for the appointment of civil judge/judicial magistrate.

She will undergo training for three months at Judicial Academy Karachi after which she will formally be appointed.

Her father Dr Pawan Podani runs a clinic in Shahdadkot. He said that the Hindu community is given equal rights and equal opportunities in Pakistan.

In 2015, Kanwal Rathi became the first Hindu female judge in Pakistan.

In March 2018, Krishna Kumari, a member of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was the first Hindu woman elected to the Senate. Kumari hailed from the so-called untouchables, the lowest rung of the caste system that still prevails in Pakistan and neighbouring India. “I will continue to work for the rights of the oppressed people, especially for the empowerment of women, their health and education,” she said after winning the election. Kumari, who was born and raised in a remote district, attributed her success to her parents, who encouraged her to pursue her education and eventually helped her to earn a university degree.

Hindus make up nearly 2 per cent of Pakistan’s total population and Hinduism remains the second largest religion in Pakistan after Islam.