Sassui Palijo

She was born on 10 January 1976 into a Sindhi Muslim family, in Jungshahi, Thatta.[1] She is a double graduate, with an undergraduate degree in law from London[4][5] and an MA in Political Science from University of Sindh (1989).[6]

She was first elected Member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh from Mirpur Sakro area of constituency PS-85 (Thatta-II) in 2002[7] and later in 2008,[8][9] when she was the only directly-elected female assembly member in Sindh out of 168 assembly members.[10] She served as the Minister for Culture in the Sindh cabinet led by chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah from 2008 to 2013. Her efforts led to the shifting of the archaeology department from Islamabad to Sindh. Around 300 books on Sindh's culture, history, and language were published during her tenure.[11]

She lost her seat in the 2013 Pakistani general election by a margin of only 409 votes,[12] after which she became a senator on a reserved seat from Sindh from 2015 to 2021.[11] Palijo was elected Chairperson of Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs in 2018.[13][14]

Palijo has been an active campaigner for human rights and gender equality. During General Musharraf's rule, she was arrested many times in Islamabad, Thatta, Karachi, Lahore, and Thar for protesting against the military regime.[10] In 2009, she strongly protested Musharraf's handing over of Hindu Gymkhana to the National Academy of Performing Arts, saying that Hindu Gymkhana will be reserved for activities of the Hindu community.[15]

Palijo's father, Ghulam Qadir Palijo,[16] has been a Member of the Sindh Provincial Assembly from Thatta twice – in 1993[17] and 1997[18] – and is a former chairman of Thatta district council.[19] Her mother, Akhtar Baloch, was the first Pakistan woman politician to be arrested during Ayub Khan's military rule. Her grandmother, Zarina Baloch, was a writer, actress, folk singer, teacher, and political activist.[10] Her uncle, Rasul Bux Palejo, was the founder of Awami Tahreek.[11]