Despite having lived in the same areas for considerable time periods, Christians still sit on the fringes, looking in. PHOTO: ASAD ZIA / EXPRESS
Afzal Masih, 28, slowly walks along Warsak Road, reflecting on his situation, broom in hand.
“I am a sweeper, my sons will be sweepers and, in the future, so will my grandsons,” he says.
In a jarring similarity shared with the rest of the country, most Christians in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa perform sanitation duties. The employers may vary – the municipal government, private homes, offices, hospitals, schools, hotels, factories, and even waste companies – but the job function remains the same across provincial borders.
“Nothing changes for us,” says Masih. “We will live and die sweeping.”
When Masih speaks, he projects a certain acceptance of social realities. He has two children, lives in a small home in Cantt, and makes Rs12,000 a month, for which he is grateful. Although his children go to school, he foresees that they too will become sweepers.
“We are born for this work. The majority of Christians work as sweepers. So why should my kids expect to lead a life that is different from mine?” he questions.
Though some may think it a negative attitude to take, Masih has a point. He talks from experience. Three of his elder brothers hold the same job in different areas around Peshawar.
“What are the benefits of education for our people when we know that, ultimately, none of us will amount to more than sweepers? We will be sweepers even if we are graduates,” he says.
According to the K-P Auqaf, Hajj and Religious Affairs Department, minorities make up 0.4% of the total population of the province, which comes to 70,000 individuals. This figure includes Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Balmkee, Kalasha, Ahmadis and Parsis. The last census report illustrates that Christians outnumber other minority groups.
Despite having lived in the same areas for considerable time periods, Christians still sit on the fringes, looking in.
“We have lived in Peshawar for centuries and have no problems as such. We perform our religious rituals in church and don’t face hurdles in that respect,” says Masih. “However, people generally don’t want to mingle with us socially.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 30th, 2013.
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I completely disagree. I think the situation has been a bit exaggerated here. In fact most of the Christians have left this profession and are opting for education. Recently there was even an article about this in a local newspaper. Nobody is forcing the Christians to do these menial jobs. If we educate ourselves, we can easily rise above the situation.
@Hole Me: If they face so much discrimination, why don't they go back to their own countries?
i really want to him to know that a sweeper;s son is now a qualified judge in Pakistan. There is always a way.
@James, I am afraid you missed the point too. The report no where mentions the qualification of Mr. Masih but how have you made assumptions about his qualifications ? It is not that anyone forces them , but its like a monopoly they have over this job. There are many people sleeping on roads and facing starvation even Muslims in Pakistan who would happily do this job if given an opportunity. However they do not get any chance as those working would recommend people they know. It happens in many occupations that a particular race/cast gets a hold , may be like cab drivers in New York where many Pakistanis do this job. At the end , no job is demeaning.
@james totally agree with @Raj Kafir. Don't know where you live but in west most muslims face immense discrimination and will never be promoted.
@huzaifa:
You haven't got a clue on what Afzal says do you? You equate sweeping mosques and homes to a people who have sweeping as their only livelihood generation after generation. They are trapped into this low paying menial job.
How would you like it if you, your family and your generations after have to do this for a living?
@Raj Kafir: You missed the point .Even though a Christian is qualified,he will not be employed in another job.He is forced to do the menial jobs which no one wants.Muslims or any other migrants in the west ,may start out doing jobs like driving cabs,or working as bus boys.If they are qualified they are bound to get a job which is in line with their qualifications.Even a schedule caste Hindu in India has a better chance of being employed in a good job.
No job is demeaning, it is the cultural taboos which make it one. Even our religion teaches us to sweep our mosques and homes. It is the inferiority complex and illiteracy combined which creates such feelings. I have seen Muslim students and boys brushing and sweeping the floors and toilets at MacDonald and other foreign food chains happily. But at their homes they would like that some body else should do this job as it is demeaning..... a typical Pakistani hypocritical mentality and i am sure that Islam teaches us humanity, humility and kindness.
Afzal, you are not alone, many Muslims in the West do the sweeping jobs. Work is worship and thank God you have a job.