Islamabad, June 25 (SocialNews.XYZ) A Christian man was stabbed to death by a Muslim co-worker in Pakistan after objecting to his drinking water from a cooler used by other labourers as he was from the minority community, a report has detailed.
Local pastor and rights activist Saleem Ghouri said Siddique Masih (40) worked as a daily wage brick loader along with his brother, Rafique Masih, at different brick kilns in Kasur district of Pakistan's Punjab province.
Ghouri said that the two brothers were at Ayyan brick kiln in Gohar Chak No 8 village to load bricks onto a truck, Christian Daily International reported.
“According to eyewitnesses, Siddique and a Muslim labourer identified as Ahmad Varyam had a brief argument over a wage-related issue,” Ghouri told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. He said that the dispute seemed to have been resolved after the intervention of other workers and both men resumed their work.
"Witnesses said Ahmad confronted Siddique and objected to his drinking water from the same cooler because he was a Christian," Ghouri said.
"Siddique responded by comparing Ahmad’s conduct to that of Yazid, whose forces denied water to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Imam Hussain and his family before the massacre at Karbala. According to witnesses, Ahmad then pulled out a knife, grabbed Siddique from behind and slit his throat. He died on the spot," he said.
Ghouri said that the killing had devastated Siddique's family as he was the only breadwinner for his wife and four minor children, Christian Daily International reported.
"One of his sons suffers from thalassemia and requires regular blood transfusions every two to three weeks. The family lives in a rented accommodation and was already struggling financially. His death has left them facing an uncertain future. We pray that they find strength and that justice is served," Ghouri said.
Organization for Legal Aid (OLA) representative Suneel Kaleem said the attack showcases a broader pattern of violence against minorities in Pakistan. He called the brutality of this killing "deeply disturbing and underscores the insecurity that many religious minorities continue to face." He urged Pakistani authorities to conduct an investigation into the incident and hold the perpetrators accountable, according to the report.
Earlier in May, a minority rights advocacy group associated the recent deaths of sanitation workers in Pakistan to what it terms as "systemic discrimination" against Christians involved in sewer cleaning jobs, a report has stated.
In a statement, Minority Concern said Christian sanitation workers in Pakistan have been facing unsafe working conditions, inadequate protective equipment and limited employment opportunities beyond sanitation work due to deep-rooted discrimination in the country, EWTN News reported.
On May 7, Shabbir Masih (33) died after he inhaled toxic gas in a 25-foot-deep sewer line in Faisalabad. Three days prior to his death, Shakeel Masih and Samar Masih died while cleaning a sewer line in Sahiwal. In April, three Christian workers died in similar incidents in Karachi, according to the report.
Minority Concern Director Alexander Mughal said, "Sanitary workers are indispensable members of society. No individual should risk their life simply for carrying out essential public service work."
“Protecting the rights and safety of Christian sanitary workers is not only a labour issue — it is a matter of human dignity, equality, and justice," Mughal added.
Christians comprise about 1.37 per cent of Pakistan's population and have complained about being pushed into low-paid work historically linked to marginalised castes in South Asia.
Sanitation worker Shafiq Masih has rejected official claims that proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is being provided to workers.
Speaking to EWTN News, he said, "Each of the Water and Sanitation Authority field office responsible for sewer maintenance reportedly has only one PPE suit, shown only to visiting officials or media. Even that imported suit from Japan is not suitable for local conditions — it is heavy and impractical. The death toll is higher than reported."
Source: IANS
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