Case Study Of Bashir Masih

Father: Bashir Masih
Mother: Nasreen Bashir
Sons: Haroon (married having one son name Shamaun), Samsoon and Samuel

Daughters: Shazia, Rifat Shafiq, Maria and Nazia (Mureed k Mandi in Lahore)

Whole family bonded at Brick kiln namely Tin Polian, a Brick kiln of Pathan’s honors in Punjab. Bashir Masih and Nasreen Bibi with their three  sons and four daughters are forcefully imprisoned at said brick kiln.

Once Son Samuel and daughter Shazia were sent to another work place in desire of earning more money by the brick kiln honors but unfortunately they never came back.
Fear of their abduction forced Bashir Masih and Nareen bibi to marry their other three daughters at once to save them. The three daughters were under age when they got married and become free from slavery of brick kiln honors.

Bashir Masih the father later on died of heavy work load and shortage of medical aid.  After death of her husband mother Nasreen Bibi married one of her son Harron. Unfortunately, at the time of giving birth to her baby Haroon’s wife also died.

Now Nasreen Bibi, left alone with her two sons Harron and Samsoon and the younger grandson of almost one year.  While families were approaching to us, Nasreen Bibi came to know through some resources that in Chakwal a new town is going to build by catholic missionaries and they are assisting homeless catholic community specially bonded laborers at work places.

Like many other families, Nasreen Bibi also approached diocesan representatives and finally reached. When Nasrren bibi with her two sons and grandson reached to us they were extremely frightened as if they have committed a sin and somebody is after them. Their clothes were muddy and seems as if they have not taken bath or wash their faces longer ago. The baby was sick without medicine. They were penniless. For a while we became speechless and thought maybe they are criminals. Actually they were facing mental and physical torture so they got a chance to escape by feigning they were going to fetch medicine.

Anyways the representatives provided them on urgent basis with medicine, food, tent, blankets, new clothing’s, utensils etc. Even helped the sons and grandson to have proper haircuts and shave.  Two weeks were passed. They were living happily under tents in Chakwal waiting to enter into their own house. Nasreen and her son also got a job in nearby restaurant. They started earning and were living a peaceful life.

But unfortunately their happiness was not forever. We got a telephone call at 9:pm that the brick kiln honros on land cruisers and parados came in Archbishop Joseph Arshad Town. In front of all other families they forcefully attacked threw Haroon and Samsoon into the Jeeps and ran away. Nasreen Bibi begged, cried, fall down in their feet but all in vein…

Nasreen Bibi told us that they were used to give us money in advance but if they give Rs.500 they note down in register Rs.1000 with interest. And when they pay them their labor they were use to pay half of the labor not all. Thus the loan is about Rs.400,000 (Euro 2,061). Nasreen Bibi also went back to the brick kiln for her son after 2-3 days.

It’s not so easy to work under such circumstances in Pakistan. People around are very strong and influenced. It is an example for us that which families are at our target. There are number of Naseem Bibi’s in this country.  Number of families with children are bonded at work places in return of small amounts even.

Approved and Checked by:
Archbishop Joseph Arshad
Bishop of Islamabad-Rawalpindi Diocese