Meet Gurdeep Singh – Pakistan’s first Sikh senator

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is determined to create a fairer and inclusive society, and Gurdeep Singh, a local leader of Sikh community, is a perfect instance to substantiate it.

Singh, who belongs to Swat district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, made history last week after he was elected to Senate, making him the first turban-clad representative in the upper house of the country’s Parliament.

Gurdeen Singh, who previously served as minority councilor from the Chakesar area of Shangla in 2005, was given ticket by the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for Senate elections.

He had joined the PTI after his brother-in-law Sardar Soren Singh was assassinated in 2016. Soren Singh had played a leading role for the welfare of his community in Pakistan.

Gurdeep Singh secured 103 votes in Senate elections from the KP Assembly, where PTI has 94 seats out of total 145.

However, his rival Jamiat Ulema-e Islam (Fazlur) candidate Ranjeet Singh managed to grab just 25 votes. The members of the Senate are elected for six-year terms.

Social media users and Sikh community had celebrated his victory.

Congratulations to Sardar Gurdeep Singh on being elected as the Senator. He will be representing Pakistan's Sikh community and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the upper house of the Parliament ✊ #SenateElection2021 pic.twitter.com/yppiTAHOWi

— Sana Jamal (@Sana_Jamal) March 3, 2021

Gurdeep Singh has been elected as the first turban-clad Sikh representative in the upper house of the Parliament from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan after he won by a huge lead. He's from PM Imran Khan's political party ‘PTI’.

Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akal 🙏 pic.twitter.com/q3MYE1dZCo

— Fidato (@tequieremos) March 3, 2021