The death of a sanitary worker in Umerkot in what was reportedly an incident of communal discrimination at the hands of doctors at a public hospital of Umerkot has reminded me of an event that took place in Karachi following partition of the sub-continent.
British historian Alice Albinia has documented that incident in her book ‘Empires of Indus: The Story of a River’. She mentions that communal riots had started in Sindh after partition, and establishment of two independent dominions. Indian government started an evacuation operation in January 1948 and around 3,000 Hindus began leaving Karachi every day. Within a month of the riots, the Pakistani government was shocked to realise that low-caste Hindus employed as sweepers and sewer cleaners in the city government were fast leaving for India. The sanitation crisis in the city becomes visible if one reads letters and articles by outraged citizens carried in daily Dawn during those days. These citizens complain that streets — washed every day during the British rule — were littered with stinking rubbish. There were jobs in the city’s sanitation unit for 2,000 cleaners, but there weren’t enough people to fill these vacancies as Muslims residents never even thought of doing those jobs.
In February 1948, the Pakistani government had to review its administrative policies, leading to curbs on large-scale migration of ‘depressed classes’ i.e. those involved in sanitation services. When the then Indian High Commissioner complained about this to Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan, the latter responded, ‘But who will clean the streets and latrines of Karachi in case they [Hindu residents employed as sanitation workers] did not come back?’
This incident tells us so much about how callously we have exploited the communities of sanitation workers. While the Pakistani government hardly cared about other Hindus leaving the city, an exceptional order was issued just to stop migration of low-caste Hindus needed for sanitation services, even though the latter, too, were fleeing for safety amid communal riots.
While the Pakistani government had hardly cared for other Hindus leaving Karachi during riots after partition — an exceptional order was issued just to stop migration of low-caste Hindus employed in city’s sanitation services, even though the latter, too, were fleeing for safety amid communal riots
Over the years, our treatment of religious minorities has been inhuman. While the shameful discrimination against minorities goes on unchecked, and without any personal remorse — the society and the state has been collectively responsible for deaths of those employed as sanitary workers, either through acts of commission or omission.
Irfan Masih’s death in Umerkot speaks volumes of our regrettable attitude towards minorities. Irfan, like most sewage workers, had to climb down into a manhole without any safety gear like masks, gloves, proper uniform, and gumboots. Exposed to filth and poisonous gases gathered in manholes, these workers remain vulnerable to hepatitis B and C, asthma, typhoid, and skin allergy. In worst cases, workers faint for lack of oxygen inside manholes. If not removed from the manhole immediately and treated for Asphyxia, they remain at risk of losing their lives in such circumstances. This is what happened to Irfan Masih.
When he fainted inside and was brought to hospital, the doctors reportedly refused to treat him in emergency because his body was covered in a thick layer of sludge. Irfan was inhumanly left to die. Sadly, according to media reports, there were three doctors available at the scene, but they misguidedly thought that touching the young man at the verge of losing his life would affect their roza.
This event has once again exposed the dilapidated state of governance in Sindh. When Irfan’s relative washed him and some paramedics finally came to treat him, the only oxygen cylinder available at the hospital was empty. Such is the level of dereliction at a district headquarters hospital. One can only imagine the kind of medical facilities that would be available at remote rural health centres or basic health units. It’s so unfortunate that doctors at government hospitals in nearby towns went on strike when the medical superintendent of the hospital was arrested on charges of criminal negligence brought against him and two other doctors and some municipal inspectors on the intervention of a minister for human rights. Factional interests have deeply uprooted our sense of responsibility.
Even a minimalist approach for protection of those employed as sanitary workers in our cities will serve us better. The example of our erstwhile first Prime Minister is a case in point. Keep sanitary workers alive and healthy, or else learn to clean your shit on your own.
The writer is a sociologist with interest in history and politics. He’s accessible on Twitter @ZulfiRao1