A Christian sanitary worker in Pakistan’s Punjab province has appealed to the Prime Minister and other top officials for protection after resigning from his 14-year position at the Bureau of Statistics, citing sustained pressure to convert to Islam and fears of a false blasphemy accusation.
Michael Masih has reached out to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the Army Chief, and senior police officials, stating he no longer feels safe and requires urgent intervention.
Masih, who worked in Sialkot, claims the harassment began when a senior officer summoned him and encouraged him to embrace Islam, citing the example of a Christian boy from a nearby district who had converted. When Masih refused, explaining he was born into a Christian family and wished to remain in his faith, the officer allegedly became increasingly hostile.
According to Masih’s account, he was publicly insulted, mocked for his faith, and physically assaulted during one incident before another staff member intervened. The officer allegedly changed Masih’s name to “Shehzada”, instructed other staff to use that name, and prevented his family from calling him Michael.
Masih further claims he was forced to perform unpaid domestic work for the officer over four years, including cleaning, washing the car, fetching water, buying groceries, and collecting the officer’s child from school, without any compensation.
The worker also reported receiving threatening calls late at night. Living in the same building as the officer has intensified his concerns. He says the officer’s family ceased communication with him after his refusal to convert, and minor everyday matters became another means of harassment.
Fearing a false blasphemy allegation might be used against him, Masih submitted his resignation, though he believes it has not yet been forwarded to the Lahore head office. Pakistan’s blasphemy laws carry severe penalties and are frequently cited by rights groups as being misused against religious minorities.
In his appeals to the country’s leadership, Masih has emphasised that he needs urgent protection and no longer feels secure in his current situation.
Authorities have not yet issued an official statement on the allegations. The Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS), a UK-based organisation that provides legal aid to persecuted Christians in Pakistan, is monitoring the case and providing support.
In an email to Christian Today, Nasir Saeed, Director of CLAAS-UK, expressed concern over what he described as a growing trend of intolerance in Pakistani society, particularly in Punjab. “Unfortunately, Pakistani society is becoming increasingly intolerant towards religious minorities, especially Christians. It is painful to see that pressuring someone to convert is still viewed by many as an acceptable or even virtuous act,” he said.
Saeed highlighted the absence of specific legislation criminalising coercion or pressure to change one’s faith in Pakistan. “There is no law in Pakistan that clearly criminalises attempts to pressure people into changing their religion. As a result, Christians face violations of their freedom of religion on a daily basis,” he said.
Christians constitute approximately 1.6 per cent of Pakistan’s population but represent about 80 per cent of sanitation workers, often facing discrimination rooted in historical caste-based divisions that persisted after mass conversions during the British Raj.
