Why was iqbal masih murdered

And usually at the hands of the powerful warlords against whom they are peacefully waging battle. Iqbal Masih, child slave, human rights activist. He had decided to become a lawyer, to fight the Pakistani legal system from the inside and find a way to liberate the slaves. When I met Iqbal he looked both younger and older than his 12 years. He was tiny, his growth stunted from years of malnutrition. His hands were leathery and crisscrossed with scars, his back hunched. The U.

From slavery to rights activism He exposed the carpet mafia, urging the world not to buy carpets made by slave children. Your contribution for a great mission: support us in bringing the Pope's words into every home. Topics slavery children human rights Pakistan. More upcoming events:. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later?

Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Already subscribed? Log in. Forgotten your password? Want an ad-free experience? The exploitation of Iqbal and several other children began the day he joined the carpet weaving factory. He was made to work 14 hours a day with a minute break. Despite working for 7 days a week and paying 3 cents for the loan, the loan got bigger.

The more horrific tale was yet to begin. At the time, he joined the factory he was only When he came to know the abolition of bonded labour by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, he along with his friends made an escape to the local police station where they narrated their ordeal.

Police, on the contrary, took Iqbal back to Arshad who tied him upside down. At the direction of the police officer, Iqbal was chained to the carpet machine and Arshad forced him back to work with a combination of physical abuse and starvation. Complete abolition of bonded labour was not implemented because of the nexus between the criminals and the corrupt police officials of Pakistan. Courage and will to overcome all difficulties encouraged Iqbal, who once again escaped from the factory.

By this time, he became a prominent face of the anti-slave movement.