Delayed Wages Push Christian to Commit Suicide in Punjab, Pakistan

For several months, Waseem Masih took pride in his work, doing his part to keep the province of Punjab in Pakistan clean.  

Masih, a Christian, was employed under the Suthra Punjab initiative — a province-wide sanitation reform launched by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif that, according to its website, “reflects our government’s resolve to deliver clean, dignified and climate conscious public services.” 

In its push to create a “cleaner and greener province,” the program is allegedly ignoring the basic needs of its committed workers. Masih, a husband and father of three young children, did his work under the crushing weight of not being able to provide for his family despite his employment and hard work.  

After six months of severe salary delays, Masih, crushed in spirit, died by suicide. His death is an example of how deeply Pakistan’s administrative systems are failing their most vulnerable workers, who are often Christians forced to do the dirtiest jobs.  

Masih’s widow, Sunita Masih, shared the challenging financial reality her family faced. Despite a meager monthly salary of 38,000 PKR or about $136, which barely covered their family’s necessities in the current economic climate, the lack of timely payments forced the family into a vicious cycle of debt. 

“Because the salary never came on time, we were forced to take loans just to pay house rent, buy groceries on credit, and cover electricity bills, which accrued heavy fines due to late payments,” Sunita said. “By the time the salary would finally arrive, the interest on the loans had accumulated so much that we would be left with nothing.” 

The financial strain was so severe that the couple could not afford to enroll their three children, an 8-year-old girl, and two boys, aged 7 and 5, in school. Sunita noted that Waseem lost all hope after a harsh confrontation and public humiliation by their landlord over unpaid rent. 

Recalling the day of her husband’s death, Sunita mentioned that Waseem returned home early from work and appeared unusually quiet. Sunita, who was preparing to visit a nearby hospital to submit her resume for a cleaning job, asked him to accompany her. Waseem declined, insisting she go ahead with their eldest daughter. 

When Sunita returned from the hospital, she found her two young sons sitting outside the house. Upon inquiring about their father, she discovered his body inside. 

“My entire world fell apart in an instant,” Sunita cried. Her children are still so young that they cannot comprehend that their father is never coming home. 

An Ongoing Problem

Waseem’s story is tragically common. In Pakistan, the Christian community makes up less than 2% of the population, yet they comprise roughly 80% of the entire sanitation and waste management workforce. They are the backbone of the country’s cleanliness, yet they live below the poverty line in deeply humiliating conditions, often working without basic safety gear or training. 

To make matters worse, authorities rely heavily on temporary, contract-based hiring. By refusing to give workers like Waseem permanent employment, state departments easily evade their responsibilities, offering no pensions, no healthcare, and no safety net when tragedy strikes. 

“Waseem Masih didn’t just die from financial stress,” an International Christian Concern (ICC) staffer said. “He was crushed by a flawed system that takes everything from its poorest workers and gives nothing back in return. As his family grieves, his community is praying for justice, hoping that no other father is driven to the edge by the simple, cruel withholding of an honest day’s pay.” 

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The post Delayed Wages Push Christian to Commit Suicide in Punjab, Pakistan first appeared on International Christian Concern.