Islamabad

A 26-year-old female cop is drawing a lot of attention in Pakistan. Not only because she is employed in a profession that is considered “manly” in a male-dominated country, but also because she belongs to the minority Hindu community.

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Manisha Ropeta has become the first woman from the minority Hindu community in Pakistan to become a Deputy Superintendent of Police. She had cracked the coveted Sindh Public Service Commission exam to attain the top post.

Stating the reason why she joined the police forces, Ropeta was quoted as saying, “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.”

Ropeta, who belongs to a middle-class family from Jacobabad in interior Sindh province, wants to end the preconceived notion that girls with a good family background should not have anything to do with the police or district courts.

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“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,” Ropeta said.

Though she is currently under training, Ropeta will be posted in the crime-infested area of Lyari, according to PTI news agency.

She feels that working as a senior police officer really empowers women and gives them authority.

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Though she had aspirations to become a doctor initially, there was one turning point in her life that made her choose a different career.

“I had failed to clear MBBS entrance examination by one mark. I then told my family that I was taking a degree in physical therapy but at the same time I prepared for the Sindh Public Services Commission examinations, and I passed that getting 16th position among 468 candidates,” she added.

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

“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,” the DSP says.

(With inputs from agencies)

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