In a troubling incident involving a sanitation post has raised serious concerns about the Islamic Republic’s treatment of religious minorities. A question has emerged as to why religious identity was even a factor in assigning this position, which appears to directly violate Article 25 of Pakistan’s Constitution, which guarantees equality for all citizens. This discriminatory practice reinforces the troubling belief that Hindus and Christians are destined to fill sanitation roles in Pakistan, regardless of their skills or qualifications.
Earlier, this systemic mistreatment was highlighted when a Christian sanitation worker was brutally assaulted by a Muslim family in Karachi. The worker, punished for a allegedly delayed garbage collection, was left chained in the street for hours, further underscoring the dehumanizing treatment faced by the country’s minority communities. The assault serves as yet another example of the widespread abuse faced by Pakistan’s marginalized Christian population, who are often derogatorily referred to as “Chuhra” – a term that historically denoted a low caste, specifically used for sanitation workers.
This deeply discriminatory attitude extends across Pakistan, where the 80% of sanitation workers are Christian, and they are subjected to both verbal abuse and physical mistreatment. The labeling of Christians and Hindus as “low caste” by Islamic society reinforces the ongoing cycle of social exclusion, where these individuals are confined to menial, degrading jobs. The lack of legal protections and societal support further exacerbates their suffering, as they continue to be treated as second-class citizens in their own country.