Karachi’s Hindu policewoman

A HINDU woman is the first one from her community to become a deputy superintendent of police in Karachi, Pakistan.

Manisha Ropeta, 26, is currently under training and will be posted in the crime-infested area of Lyari.

“From childhood, I and my sisters have seen the same old system of patriarchy where girls are told if they want to get educated and work it can only be as teachers or doctors,” said Ropeta, who lives in Sindh’s Jacobabad area.

She wants to challenge the idea that girls from good families shouldn’t have anything to do with the police or district courts.

“Women are the most oppressed and the target of many crimes in our society and I joined the police because I feel we need ‘protector’ women in our society,” she said.

In Pakistan’s maledominated society and culture, it is not the done thing for women to join professions such as the police force.

“I want to lead a feminisation drive and encourage gender equality in the police force. I myself have always been very inspired and attracted to the police work,” said Ropeta.

Her three sisters are all doctors and her youngest brother is also studying medicine.

Ropeta’s father was a trader in Jacobabad. He passed away when she was 13. Ropeta said it was not a usual practice for girls in her hometown to pursue higher education; when her relatives found out she was joining the police force they said she wouldn’t last for long.

“So far I have proven them wrong,” she said.

Ropeta hoped to help build trust between the police and communities, which leads to lower levels of crimes reporting and to be regarded as a role model for women.