A Pakistani Christian brick kiln worker, Sufyan Masih, shared how his father was coerced into converting to Islam due to financial pressures, leading to their entire family facing identity issues. The conversion was officially recorded in Pakistan’s National Database, resulting in their inability to register as Christians on their national identity cards. The family’s plea is to restore their original faith and names in the official records to reflect their true identity.
The financial struggles of the Masih family worsened when Sufyan’s father, Sadiq Masih, took a loan for his wife’s medical treatment, leading to his forced conversion to Islam. The practice of debt arrangements in Pakistan’s brick kiln sector often leaves workers vulnerable to exploitation and coercion, as highlighted by human rights advocates. Sufyan emphasized that his father’s conversion was not by choice but due to financial dependency and pressure.
The repercussions of Sadiq Masih’s forced conversion have extended to his children, who are also being denied the right to register as Christians due to their father’s Muslim status in the national database. Despite being raised as Christians, the family is being compelled to identify as Muslims officially. The Masih family’s primary demand is to rectify the records to accurately reflect their faith and allow the children to be registered as Christians.
Pakistan, where the majority of the population is Muslim, has been flagged for severe persecution of Christians, ranking eighth on the 2026 World Watch List. The plight of the Masih family sheds light on the challenges faced by religious minorities in the country, urging for a resolution to their identity crisis.
