In the 2024 general elections in Pakistan, Mahesh Kumar Malani, a Hindu politician, emerged victorious in the National Assembly race for the Tharparkar region in Sindh. Running as a candidate for the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians, led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Malani secured a substantial lead in the popular vote, defeating candidates from religious parties such as Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan and Jamiat Ulema Pakistan.
Having previously served in both provincial and national assemblies, Malani faced a prominent opponent in the form of former Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim, who represented the Grand Democratic Alliance. In a closely contested election, Malani garnered 132,061 votes, while Rahim trailed with 113,346 votes. Notably, the religious party candidates lagged significantly, receiving less than 2,500 votes combined.
This victory marks Malani’s continued political success, building on his achievement in the 2018 general election when he became the first non-Muslim candidate in Pakistan to secure a general seat for the National Assembly, clinching 51.14% of the votes in the NA-222 constituency at that time.
