Village girl beats odds, heads to town hall

Kanwal Lashari, a law student, grew up in a village that has no girls’ school

KARACHI:

It was a difficult time when Kanwal Lashari had to attend her school located in Dodo Khan Birhamani village some two kilometres away from her home.

"But I wanted to learn new things. I had dreamed of going to school despite no inspiration in the area," Kanwal remembered.

Kanwal's village, Pir Bux Lashari is located some 42km from Dadu city lacked all the basic facilities. No potable water, no electricity and no gas. "Even my village has no school for the girls," she pointed out.

Kanwal has recently been elected as member of Dadu district council on women's reserved seats.

With population of over 1,000, not a single girl has completed her graduation from her village. "I am the first who will complete my law degree in next couple of years," Kanwal said.

Kanwal is not only the first girl in her village but in entire locality called Kachho, one of the remote areas of the district who will take oath as the member of district council on June 10.

"It takes more than two hours to reach the city from our area," Kanwal narrated the ordeal of families in case of emergencies. "Life is very tough in my area but I feel proud that the parents will encourage their daughters to get education and ask them to take part in politics," she commented.

Kanwal believes: "women's participation in politics will bring a visible change." She adds that as a lawyer she can easily understand the legislation. "My degree will help me to resolve the issues of the people legally."

The highly educated in the district council, Kanwal has to attend the council's sessions and to visit remote areas regularly. "It will be a challenge to continue education and participate in politics but I can do it - and I really can do it well," she pledged.

The 23-year-old Kanwal's father, Abdul Qadir Lashari said that he has allowed her daughter to get education and participate in politics. "Women in our area hardly get primary education and that's why they cannot do anything positive in the society," he said. "I am sure my daughter will help resolve women's issues."

"My focus will be to highlight issues our women have been facing in Dadu's far flung areas," Kanwal told The Express Tribune.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2023.