Christian Family of Nine Appeals for Lasting Freedom After 11 Years of Alleged Bonded Labor, Abuse and Threats at Lahore Brick Kiln

Lahore, Pakistan — September 2, 2026: Pastor Imran Amanat, Head of LEAD Ministries, received a video interview via WhatsApp from a local Christian journalist featuring a Christian family of nine who tearfully recount approximately 11 years of alleged bonded and forced labor, physical abuse, inadequate wages, serious illness and continuing threats while working at a brick kiln in Lahore.

The family comprises three brothers — Babar Masih, Saleem Masih and Amir Masih — along with other family members. They say they worked for approximately 11 years at the same brick kiln, located at Feroz Pur Road, Wadana Stop, Ladhe Ki Nai Abadi, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.

In the video, family members speak emotionally about the suffering they say they endured. At times, they are visibly distressed and crying as they describe alleged beatings, harsh working conditions, verbal abuse, inadequate wages, sickness, debt and fear.

11 Years of Hard Labor and Inadequate Wages

The family says they spent approximately 11 years working at the brick kiln under conditions they describe as bonded and forced labor.

Babar Masih reportedly stated that they were paid approximately Rs. 800 for every 1,000 bricks, while local sources put the rate for 1,000 bricks at approximately Rs. 1,200.

The family alleges that they performed extremely hard physical labor while receiving inadequate wages. They also say workers received no meaningful financial assistance when they or their family members became seriously ill.

For a poor family dependent on brick-kiln work, illness could create an additional burden, particularly when medical treatment was unaffordable.

Allegations of Beatings, Abuse and Injury

The family alleges that, during their years at the kiln, they were subjected to beatings, threats and filthy and abusive language.

Saleem Masih reportedly described a particularly distressing incident involving his daughter. According to the family, one of her eyes was damaged after she was allegedly struck.

They say such incidents created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, making them feel unable to challenge the conditions under which they were working.

Serious Illness and Death in the Family

The brothers also spoke about serious illness and its devastating consequences.

The family says Amir Masih suffered paralysis. They also stated that their father died after allegedly failing to receive proper medical treatment for his illness.

They say their financial circumstances made it extremely difficult to obtain appropriate healthcare and that they did not receive adequate assistance during periods of serious illness.

Rescue Through Court Intervention

The family says they were eventually rescued from the alleged bonded-labor situation through a habeas corpus writ filed before the court.

However, they say that leaving the brick kiln did not immediately end their fear.

The family alleges that they continue to receive threats and fear possible harm. They reportedly said that individuals connected to their previous circumstances are still searching for them and attempting to locate them through relatives and other places.

They say the continuing threats have made it difficult to feel genuinely safe even after obtaining legal intervention.

Advocate Raises Concerns About Continuing Threats

An advocate involved in the family’s case has also raised concerns about their safety.

According to the advocate, the family alleges that they were mistreated and subjected to abusive language because of their Christian faith, in addition to the alleged bonded and forced labor.

The advocate further stated that, even after police and court intervention, the family continues to report threats from individuals whom they accuse of subjecting them to bonded and forced labor.

The advocate questioned how victims can feel secure when those they accuse of exploitation continue to threaten or intimidate them despite legal proceedings and intervention by the authorities.

Pastor Imran Amanat: Legal Intervention Alone Cannot End the Cycle

Reflecting on the family’s experience, Pastor Imran Amanat, Head of LEAD Ministries, said his experience of working with victims of bonded and forced labor in brick kilns has shown him that legal intervention alone may not be enough to permanently end their suffering.

Pastor Amanat said police and court involvement can provide important protection and legal relief, but victims may continue to face serious difficulties when underlying debt remains unresolved.

He explained that powerful brick-kiln owners can have considerable financial and social influence. In his view, victims attempting to escape bonded labor may sometimes become involved in prolonged legal disputes, with new challenges and pressures arising during the process.

He said that, in some cases, victims may not feel completely secure until the debt or bonded amount allegedly tying them to the brick kiln has been addressed.

Pastor Amanat Advocates Negotiation and Debt Settlement

Pastor Amanat believes that, where appropriate and with proper legal safeguards, a practical solution may involve dialogue and negotiation with brick-kiln owners to settle workers’ outstanding debt or bonded amounts.

Rather than allowing vulnerable families to remain trapped in prolonged disputes and repeated legal challenges, he argues that efforts could be made to negotiate a settlement, subject to appropriate legal documentation and oversight.

He believes that resolving the debt can give victims a more realistic opportunity to achieve lasting freedom.

“It is better to rescue them by talking with the brick-kiln owners and, where possible, paying or settling their outstanding debt or bonded amount, so that they can be permanently freed from the cycle of bonded labor.”

Pastor Amanat stressed that such an approach should not replace the protection of victims’ legal rights. Instead, legal protection, debt settlement and long-term rehabilitation should work together to ensure that rescued families are not forced back into exploitative conditions.

Why Rescue Alone May Not Be Enough

The case highlights an important issue in efforts to combat bonded labor: rescue may be only the first step toward lasting freedom.

A family may obtain a court order and leave a brick kiln, but if it remains deeply impoverished, burdened by debt, without stable employment or vulnerable to threats, its difficulties may continue.

Pastor Amanat therefore emphasizes the importance of addressing the economic circumstances that can contribute to bonded labor. In his view, effective rehabilitation should include, where possible:

Settlement or elimination of outstanding bonded debt.

Safe and sustainable employment opportunities.

Access to medical treatment and emergency financial assistance.

Legal protection and follow-up after rescue.

Protection against threats, intimidation and retaliation.

Educational opportunities for children.

Long-term economic rehabilitation for the entire family.

A Continuing Search for Safety

For Babar, Saleem, Amir and their family, approximately 11 years at the same brick kiln have left them with memories of hardship, sickness and fear.

Although they say they were eventually rescued through court intervention, they maintain that their struggle is not yet over. They fear that those they accuse of exploitation and abuse may locate them through relatives or elsewhere.

Their testimony, shared with Pastor Imran Amanat through a local Christian journalist, highlights the challenges vulnerable families can face even after leaving an alleged bonded-labor situation.

An Appeal for Lasting Freedom

Pastor Amanat says the ultimate goal should be more than simply removing workers from a brick kiln. In his view, genuine freedom requires that victims be released from debt, protected from threats, provided with opportunities to earn a living and supported as they rebuild their lives.

The family’s account raises broader concerns about labor exploitation, poverty, access to healthcare, religious discrimination, legal protection and the long-term safety of bonded-labor survivors.

LEAD Ministries is also appealing to organizations working on bonded-labor rescue and rehabilitation projects to look beyond immediate rescue and court intervention and work toward permanent solutions for vulnerable families. According to Pastor Amanat, filing habeas corpus petitions and obtaining court orders can be important steps in securing immediate freedom, but rescued families may continue to face debt, poverty, insecurity and threats after leaving the workplace.

LEAD Ministries therefore urges organizations involved in such work to consider comprehensive, long-term support, including debt settlement, safe housing, employment opportunities, healthcare, education, legal follow-up and protection from retaliation. The aim should be to ensure that rescued families do not remain vulnerable to the same circumstances that contributed to their exploitation.

The allegations contained in the family’s testimony remain allegations and should be investigated by the relevant authorities. Those accused should be given an opportunity to respond and present their position.

After approximately 11 years of labor, the family is appealing to Christian brothers and sisters for help in settling their outstanding debt or bonded amount, which they believe would provide them with greater safety and freedom from the fear of those they accuse of exploiting and threatening them.

For this family, lasting freedom means more than leaving a brick kiln. It means freedom from debt, exploitation and fear, together with the opportunity to live with dignity, security, independence and hope.

LEAD Ministries believes that every rescue should ultimately lead to a sustainable future — not merely a temporary escape from an abusive or exploitative situation.