In Pakistan, slavery and religious persecution are two problems that are far from being over.
In the month of November, this Christian couple was burnt alive. Husband and wife, were thrown into the furnace in the brick factory they worked in. They were killed, accused of blasphemy and of allegedly burning a few pages with verses from the Koran.
MARTA PETROSILLO
Aid to the Church in Need
'The murder of this couple shows just how easy it is to accuse Christians of blasphemy in Pakistan. It also reflects a form of modern slavery, in this case- forced labor.â?
Christians are a minority in Pakistan and they often face discrimination. Often times, they're forced to be slaves. For example to pay off their home loans, they're forced to work in sweat shops, making bricks, under horrible conditions.
SHAHID MOBEEN
Pakistani Christian Association
'In the 1990â??s legislation was made against this, but never has the government nor the local authorities been much interested, because they themselves, in the higher political and social levels, are involved.â?
MARTA PETROSILLO
Aid to the Church in Need
'Entire families work in these brick factories. They work there for years, decades and even entire generations. Most of them are illiterate, so they're tricked. Some don't realize that they've already paid their debt, or that they have to ask for even more loans, because their pay is practically nothing.â?
It's estimated that between three to eight million people are forced to work in these brick factories more than 12 hours a day, among them children.
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