MCQ Detailed View

Krishna Kumari Kohli made history in March 2018 by becoming the first-ever non-Muslim woman elected to the Senate of Pakistan. She won a seat reserved for women from Sindh, backed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) through a parliamentary vote.

Kohli belongs to the Kohli Hindu Dalit community and was born on 1 February 1979 in Nagarparkar, a remote area in Tharparkar district of Sindh. Her early life was marked by hardship. For three years during her childhood, she and her family endured bonded labour under a landlord until they were liberated in a police raid.

Education and activism:

• Academic background: She completed a master’s degree in sociology from the University of Sindh in 2013.


• Human rights work: She campaigned against bonded labour, gender-based violence, and forced conversions in Tharparkar.


• Leadership training: Attended a youth leadership programme in Islamabad focused on governance and social change.

Her election was a breakthrough for inclusive democracy and minority representation. Pakistan’s Senate includes reserved seats for minorities and women, but until 2018, no non-Muslim woman had ever been elected through the women’s quota.

Key historical facts:

• Date of election: 3 March 2018


• Seat type: Women quota for Sindh province


• Party: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)

Senator Kohli has used her platform to press for legal protections for religious minorities, women’s health rights, clean water access, and education in her region. She has also worked on bringing minority-focused bills and has spoken out on international forums.

Her achievement is a milestone for Pakistan’s political landscape, showing progress in minority rights and gender equality within parliamentary institutions. Kohli’s election inspires other non-Muslim women to engage in politics and aim for higher office.