Meet Manisha Ropeta, First Hindu Woman In Pakistan To Become A Senior Cop

Manisha Ropeta, a Hindu police officer in Pakistan, is making headlines not just because she is one of the few female officers in authority positions in Sindh Police but also because she is the first woman from the country's minority Hindu community to hold the position of Deputy Superintendent of Police.  She has handled several high-profile cases and made a significant impact in the defence area of the province. Ropeta, who belongs to Jacobabad, passed her Sindh Public Services Commission examination in 2021, a rarity at that time.

Empowering Women As A Trailblazing Police Officer

In July 2024, Manisha Ropeta handled the case of Pakistani actress Nimra Khan, who suffered a near abduction ordeal in Karachi. "The fact that DSP Manisha Ropeta handled my case helped me calm down and deal with the situation better,” the celebrity recalled in an interview.

“It keeps me inspired and motivated that the reasons I joined the police force have turned out to be correct,” Ropeta said as she took over Nimra Khan's case. She is respected as one of the few women in the country's police force to have completed her higher education.

Ropeta said she got into the profession to defy the notion that women cannot be 'protectors' and that those from respectable homes don't belong in the police. She told the Press Trust of India, "Women are the most oppressed and the target of many crimes in our culture." 

How She Became A DSP

Ropeta, who was reportedly raised in a conservative family, was constantly exposed to the patriarchal belief that the only careers for women who wish to pursue an education and a career are those of teachers or doctors. However, she made heads turn after becoming head of Sindh Police.

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The 28-year-old officer comes from a middle-class family. Her father, who was a trader in Jacobabad, passed away when she was 13 years old. She, along with her mother and siblings, moved to Karachi. She has three sisters and a younger brother who are doctors.

Ropeta shared that she was preparing to study medicine but failed the MBBS admission exam by one mark. That was why she decided to pursue a different career. When her family found out she was joining the police force, they said she wouldn't stay long because it was a difficult job.

She told the PTI, "I was pursuing a degree in physical therapy, but at the same time, I was preparing for the Sindh Public Services Commission examinations, which I passed, securing myself a spot among the top 16 applicants out of 468." She became a DSP in 2022.

Ropeta is posted to Lyari's crime-ridden area in Sindh. Although she acknowledges that holding a high position and receiving field training in a location like Lyari was not easy, her coworkers, supervisors, and juniors regard her with respect for her views and dedication.

“I have got respect and admiration from my fellow officers and those who I supervise purely based on my work. In the end, there might be some gender issues but I don’t feel out of place nor does it count for anything that I am a Hindu woman. When I put on my police uniform, it is a matter of pride for me and I hope girls in our community are inspired by my story to follow in my path,” she said.

Ropeta believes that being a senior police officer actually offers another woman power and influence. The DSP said, "I want to lead an initiative to feminise the police force and promote gender parity. I have always found the work of the police to be quite inspiring and attractive."