Manmeet Kaur becomes Pakistan’s first Sikh news reporter

AMRITSAR

: While aspiring to be Pakistan ’s first Sikh women model, 24-year old Manmeet Kaur, a resident of

Peshawar

, instead chose to be a journalist and work for the community and the society as a whole.

“There are several social and cultural issues and being a journalist I will be able to bring them forth especially for the upliftment of Sikh community,” said

Manmeet

while talking to TOI from Peshawar on Sunday.

A post graduate in social sciences from Jinnah College for Women, Peshawar, Manmeet observes that literacy rate among Sikhs of Pakistan was very poor and being a journalist she wants to be a role model for the community not only to improve literacy rate but also for giving an equal status to the women in society.

“Everyone should know that women are equally talented as men and my present status will encourage several other community women, “ she said.

Prior to being Pakistan’s first Sikh news reporter for a TV channel, Manmeet said she worked as an administrator in a computer academy for three years.

“But my uncle

Radesh Singh Tony

inspired me to be Pakistan’s first Sikh women journalist and I took his advice, “ said she who is one among five siblings.

Ever since she became a TV news reporter, Manmeet said she had covered several religious, political and cultural functions and never felt being discriminated as a woman from the minority community.

“Pak society has changed, I never felt to wear a burqa while reporting, everyone respects me as a women journalist and being a Sikh woman, I am seen as an intellectual face of the community,” she said.

Manmeet said her father was a businessman who was now retired while her mother was a housewife. “Me and my sister who works in a bank run the house,” says Manmeet proudly.

Her dream is to visit Amritsar as a journalist and cover religious stories. “It is my heartfelt wish to travel to Amritsar as a journalist and cover religious stories, “ she said.