Daily Times

Most of the world is unequal in terms of income and opportunities even though the share of the poor has fallen since 2001 by nearly half, to 15 percent, and those in the middle-income bracket have nearly doubled (from 7 to 13 percent) their global presence.

There is almost a consensus among researchers, practitioners and activists (in spite of some highly misleading measures in economics to measure inequality) that there is no divine intervention in the prevalence of extreme inequality globally that has tripled in size since 1960.

Pakistan too is a causality of this inequality and is facing a number of problems having their roots in sham democracy and dictatorship. The obvious corollary is a state that does not possess the nerve to dismantle the entrenched discriminations leading to many preventable forms of unreasonableness, inequalities and injustice.

While statistical data (human beings are not statistics by the way) may not be available to accurately map the ethnicity and faith-based inequalities faced by extremely poor people in Pakistan it requires only an honest mind to admit that most of these poor are destined to remain poor, powerless and almost no prestige are Christians in Pakistan.

(by no means I am suggesting that poor Muslims and those from other faiths are leading an equitable life, but I am trying to command attention of those who matter to a disturbing choice almost carved into stone that this particular community faces).

The inevitable relationship between the poverty and development has always been close to hearts of the human rights defenders but is seldom reflected in letter and spirit by the elites, class climbers and deceitful intellectuals who have ruled (not governed) this unfortunate country. And why blame only elites? Non-elites have also mediated fiercely to honor this social stigma that janitors can only be Christians.

I am watching since my childhood that cleaning the roads and toilets, opening up clogged drains and maintaining sewerage are the ‘naturally’ chosen occupations for the Christians. What is unofficially official is the painful reality that Christians are most appropriate candidates for being a janitor. I have seen generations of Christian people employed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) getting hired as janitors. This specific cohort has mother and father who live in slums and usually pass on diseases like Tuberculosis, asthma and low (almost none) social esteem to their off springs who are usually too many and with too close birth spacing. Too few are lucky enough to break this vicious trap.

The inevitable relationship between the poverty and development has always been close to hearts of the human rights defenders but is seldom reflected in letter and spirit by the elites, class climbers and deceitful intellectuals who have ruled (not governed) this unfortunate country

As a believer in the dignity of labor I find no problem in such blue-collar jobs. Allah gave me opportunities to study in countries like US,UK, Netherlands, Germany, Brussels etc. where I saw young women and men cleaning toilets and mopping the floors of the prestigious academic institutions and commercial outlets. The only difference between those ‘Christians or Non-Muslims’ and our Pakistani Christians is the fact that many of the former earned their Masters doctorate degree from the same academia where once they were doing those full time or part time odd jobs. Those engagements were only a mean to sustain them in their struggle towards a better life and not an end -a predetermined outcome by the State and the society.

Christians from slums in Pakistan need to reclaim their self-esteem, human rights that include the right to choose their careers and means of earning. I request the present governments in all provinces of Pakistan and especially the honorable Prime Minister, to present an unmatched gift to Pakistani Christians this Christmas.

You can do it. Issue an ordinance (that can be substantiated by a public policy and law later by going through all administrative steps) that in the IRP no person shall be appointed as a janitor for more than two years and afterwards the state shall assist the person in entering in another job or continuing the education. During the specified job period (as an entry level job) the person shall be given the opportunity to attend a school/vocational training or evening college. As a perpetual harvester of hope I am seeing a dream with eyes open that this is the headline of the day; “You are not destined to be a janitor — Prime Minister, Government of Pakistan”.

Mr. Prime Minister, I sincerely hope that you would be able to demonstrate this astuteness and mettle. Needless to underscore that this would be neither an act of charity nor a social nicety but a confirmation of the country’s commitment to the agenda 2030 that is mandated to be inclusive and leaving no one behind in development and to which Pakistan is a signatory.

The write is an awakened dreamer, gender expert and rights activist besides being the former secretary political training PTI Women Wing Central. She tweets at dr_rakhshinda

Published in Daily Times, November 26^th 2018.