Origins & Early Life

Iqbal Masih (1 January 1983 – 16 April 1995) was a Pakistani child labourer and activist who was a member of the Bonded Labour Liberation Front (BLLF) in Pakistan, campaigning against abusive child labour in the country. He was assassinated on 16 April 1995, at the age of 12, and was posthumously awarded the Tamgha-e-Shujaat by the government of Pakistan. Iqbal Masih was born on 1 January 1983 in Muridke, Punjab, Pakistan, into a poor Punjabi Catholic family. His parents were Saif Masih, a labourer, and Inayat Bibi, who worked as a house cleaner.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Saif later abandoned the family, leaving Inayat to work and Iqbal's older sisters to take care of him and his siblings. In 1986, Saif Masih was to marry off one of his sons but he lacked savings and was unable to finance this: banks would not provide loans while government aid programs were few. He took a loan of 600 rupees from a thekedar (carpet factory owner), using the only collateral he had, his children. The loan was to be paid off by four-year-old Iqbal's labor, and included undisclosed interest and expenses, an institution known as peshgi. Due to the illegality of selling children, the transaction...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

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