Report from Pakistan’s brick kilns at the annual meeting of the German section of the ISHR

Sajid Christopher, President of the Human Friends Organization in the Pakistani city of Lahore, had made the long journey from there to Bonn to report on the positive results of the recent cooperation at the annual meeting of the German section of the ISHR: Until last autumn, the Pakistani Christian Babar Masih had to work in debt bondage under inhumane conditions in the brickworks “Karmawala Barkat.” Now he can once again focus on providing for his family.

ISHR supporters made this possible through Christopher’s HFO initiative. “We had a conversation with the owner of the brick factory,” Christopher said. Thanks to his many years of experience, he knows how to negotiate with these people. Nevertheless, he remained cautious and took Babar Masih and his family to a safe place in case the factory owner ultimately decided not to honour the agreement.

Because banks wouldn’t grant him credit, Masih borrowed money from the brick manufacturer and handed himself and his entire family over to him. “Husband, wife, and even the small children all toiled under extreme conditions to reach the target of 1,000 bricks a day,” Christopher continued. But the wages weren’t enough to feed the family. “They earned 1,200 Pakistani rupees—currently equivalent to around four euros – for the 1,000 bricks, but had to pay 300 Pakistani rupees to pay off the debt,” he said at the annual meeting of the German section of the ISHR.

The crushing debt kept them trapped in servitude, which continued to mount. The family was not allowed to leave the property. Schooling or even medical care? None. “That’s why these people’s health is so poor, and their future is ruined without education,” Christopher criticised.

After Masih finally left the brickyard gates and received start-up money from HFO, he used the money to set up a vegetable stall and retrain on the side. Today, Babar works as a bricklayer. The children now attend school. “This is one of the success stories to come out of this dark region where Christians are forced to live as slaves in this day and age,” Christopher said.

Through its collaboration with ISHR, HFO was also able to help other families, including Ejaz Masih and his family, whose story we featured in February, and whose release Christopher immediately notified us of via WhatsApp on March 7. “I am very grateful to ISHR for their generous support and cooperation. This enabled debts and start-up aid to be paid off,” Christopher said happily.

These debts can lead to servitude passed down from generation to generation. Typically, there isn’t even a written contract. Furthermore, most workers come from disadvantaged social groups—disproportionately many from the Christian minority—and, without access to legal representation, feel vulnerable to this exploitation. Families are also sold from one brickyard to another.

This practice is illegal in Pakistan. Article 11, Paragraph 1 of the Pakistani Constitution prohibits slavery and forced labour. On September 18, 1988, the Supreme Court of Pakistan outlawed debt bondage, cancelled all outstanding debts, and prohibited legal action to recover existing debts, leading to the passage of the Bonded Labour (Abolition) System Act 1992 by Parliament. The country’s legislature followed suit. “But the problem persists because the relevant government agencies, unfortunately, do not insist on enforcing the law,” Christopher lamented.

ISHR will continue to insist that legal protections finally become a reality. We have also assured Christopher that we will support other families whose children are particularly vulnerable due to these circumstances. “With the equivalent of approximately 2,000 euros, we can help a family out of debt bondage,” Christopher said.