A Christian brick kiln worker in Pakistan says his family has been left unable to register their faith on national identity documents after his religion was allegedly changed under pressure linked to debt.
Sufyan Masih, who works at a kiln in Phoolnagar in Kasur District, Punjab Province, said his father’s religious identity was altered years ago in the records of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). As a result, the family’s five children have been told they cannot be officially registered as Christians.
According to Masih, his father, Sadiq Masih, took a loan of 4,00,000 Pakistani rupees from a former kiln owner to pay for medical treatment for his wife and to cover household expenses. The family was facing serious financial hardship at the time.
Debt arrangements are common in Pakistan’s brick kiln sector, where workers often rely on advances from employers to survive between pay periods. Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that such systems can leave families vulnerable to exploitation and coercion.
Masih said that while under financial pressure, his father was compelled to accept Islam and was issued a second Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) under the name “Muhammad Sadiq”. The change was later reflected in NADRA’s official database.
He maintains that his father did not willingly abandon the Christian faith, and that the change was made due to his vulnerable situation and lack of education.
Because children’s identity records are linked to their parents in NADRA’s system, officials have reportedly told the family that the five children must also be registered as Muslims.
The CNIC is a vital document in Pakistan. It is required for education enrolment, formal employment, banking, voting and access to government services. Without accurate documentation, individuals can face serious restrictions in daily life.
The family, who now work at another kiln in Phoolnagar, say they do not have the financial means to pursue a lengthy legal case to correct the record.
Legal experts note that while Pakistan’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion under Article 20, the country’s legal and social framework makes it extremely difficult for individuals recorded as Muslims to change their religious status in official documents.
Article 227 of the Constitution declares Islam the state religion and requires that laws conform to Islamic principles. Although there is no specific law criminalising apostasy, allegations connected to renouncing Islam can lead to serious legal and social consequences, including accusations under Section 295-A of the penal code, which concerns offences against religious feelings.
Lawyers familiar with religious identity disputes say that while conversions to Islam are generally processed without difficulty, requests to change status from Islam to another faith often face strong resistance. Applicants are frequently directed to seek a court order, which can involve lengthy and costly proceedings.
The Masih family says they are seeking only the restoration of Sadiq Masih’s original Christian name and religious status in the national database, and the right for their children to be registered as Christians in line with their faith.
This is a rewritten version of the original article from Morning Star News / Christian Daily International.
