Iqbal Masih became a metaphor for the protest against forced labour

12-year-old Iqbal Masih was killed by a gunshot in Muridke. It was April 16, 1995, and Easter night. Iqbal was returning from the market on a bicycle when he was attacked by a moving vehicle. To this day, this matter is under discussion as to who killed Iqbal.

Three years after Iqbal Masih’s murder, thousands of miles away in a small town in Italy, students of a primary school, their parents and teachers decided that their school would now be known as Iqbal Masih Elementary School. will go Many names were put before him, including scientists and historical figures, but the story of Iqbal Masih touched everyone’s heart.

After the name was decided, the children of that time brought out a magazine in which they described Iqbal’s life through pictures and words. The second party also wrote this letter to Iqbal:

Dear Iqbal,

We heard your sad story and now we know that you were a brave child. You fought for the rights of all children, but you were also unlucky. We want to do something to remember you. We want to name our school after you. We promise you that your school will be a cradle of peace and justice for everyone.’

Iqbal was four years old when he started working in a carpet factory. The small debt of his poor father was paid off by the toil of this child’s tender fingers. For the next six years Iqbal spent his childhood making carpets with children like him and then one day he escaped from his prison. He was ten years old at that time.

She was sheltered by the BLLF (Bonded Labor Liberation Front) organization and spoke with them at several forums against forced child labour. He has attended conferences as far as USA and Sweden and has received international awards. Iqbal became a minor hero. Short stature, frail build but full of life smile and sparkling eyes. Iqbal was free, but his freedom was soon to be taken away from him.

Many schools in Italy have been named after Iqbal Masih, but this school in Monza is said to be the first of them all. Anna Kavanaghy, the principal of this school, has ensured that Iqbal is not only the name of the school but also its identity.

Every morning 200 children enter this school and the first thing they see is the beautiful portrait of Iqbal Masih on the reception desk, which was gifted to the school by an Italian artist. They not only recognize Iqbal’s name and face but are also familiar with his life story. Not only this, they also understand what is their relationship with Iqbal’s story. It is part of their education to recognize the constraints of life of other children like themselves, to develop sensitivity for them, to grow up always remembering that the goals of life are wider than their limited circle.

When I visited this school, the third-grade girls told me: ‘Iqbal was a child like us, but instead of pens and pencils, he had tools in his hands. He worked as a carpet maker and sometimes received severe punishments. His little fingers used to get injured. Iqbal and the children working with him wanted to go to school. They wanted to do everything we do here at school every day.’

An Italian writer Francesco Adamo wrote a novel for children called ‘The Story of Iqbal’ in which the life journey of Iqbal is narrated in a very interesting manner with some factual and some fictional characters with real and imaginary characters. When this book was published, it became surprisingly popular and was taught in many schools. It is now available in every major public library in Italy.

In the book, Iqbal is lured into a carpet factory where he is imprisoned. There in the factory he also finds other children whose parents are in debt to the factory owner. They all live together, work together and become friends after initial reluctance. Their tyrannical master treats them harshly, the children bear it but the sparkle in Iqbal’s eyes convinces them that they can change their lives. In one part of the book, Iqbal confides in a girl named Fatima:

‘Can you keep a secret, Fatima?’ Iqbal said slowly.

‘Why not? What do you understand me to be?’ Fatima spoke.

‘Then you know that we will be free one day. Believe it.’

But how Iqbal? You yourself said that it is impossible to pay off the debt.’

‘He is. But we will not be free by clearing the debt.’

‘Then?’

‘We’ll get out of here!’

‘You are crazy! ‘

Like in real life, in the book, Iqbal manages to escape from his slavery and spend the next two years of his freedom fighting for the rights of other children and their freedom. Even at the end of the book, Iqbal’s fate is similar to reality.

In 2015, an animated film for children was made based on the same book called ‘Iqbal. The story of a fearless child.’ It is an Italian and French production, supported by UNICEF and broadcast nationwide by Italy’s state TV channel.

It is a wonderful film that touches the heart and its impact remains for days after watching. But the makers of the film did not let Iqbal die at the end of their story. How will children watching the film accept the injustice of their young, brave hero being killed in such a brutal way?

Sometimes Liaquat Javed also has to deal with the same question asked by his children. Liaqat used to do forced labor with his father at the brick kiln in Manga Mandi when Iqbal used to come to the BLLF office there after his release.

He says: ‘Iqbal used to come to our kiln. We are about the same age. I loved talking to him.’

Liaquat Javed told me: ‘Iqbal used to talk big, he had a lot of dreams. He wanted children to go to school. Do not work. He himself wanted to study.’

Even today, Liaquat remembers the day when a rally against forced labor and child labor was held under the shadow of Minar-e-Pakistan. Liaquat and his friends sang on stage but the real star of the rally was Iqbal, whose rousing speech left a deep impression on other child laborers like Liaquat.

Even today, Liaquat takes his children to Iqbal’s grave on his death anniversary, they also decorate candles and flowers there, but they do not have the courage to explain the circumstances of Iqbal’s death.

He himself was 15 years old when Iqbal was killed. ‘At that time, the biggest impact of this tragedy on us children was that we already lived in such fear, that fear increased. In bonded labour, the master’s fear comes under the cover of mental development. We were afraid all the time and what little hope we had had because of Iqbal was dealt such a severe blow that I cannot describe it.’

Fear and dread in place, Liaquat did not let Iqbal’s dream bury him. Liaquat worked at the kiln for ten years but did not stop going to school at the same time. Later he also got his degree from Forman Christian College which was 50 km from his home and not easy to come and go.

Two years after Iqbal’s death, Liaquat passed his matriculation examination and continued his studies, teaching children from families connected to Bhatta. It’s been 25 years and still Liaquat is doing the same thing. His organization Bric Pakistan now runs 30 primary schools, 30 play centers and other centers for children with disabilities. Currently, around four thousand poor children are studying in these schools.

But the journey from this life of slavery to here was long and difficult. In 2005, Liaquat was able to pay off his father’s 30-year debt by paying Rs 23,000 to his kiln owner, freeing him from forced labour. Till date Liaquat has the receipt of payment of this loan. A few years later, Liaquat also paid off the remaining debt of his brothers.

Now all the family members of Liaquat Javed are freed from the shackles of their past but Liaquat did not leave his childhood hero. Neither let Iqbal’s dream be broken for the children of Bhatta, nor did he ever break ties with Iqbal’s family.

Liaquat Javed said with great sadness: ‘The deepest sadness I have is that many people came to take the name of Iqbal Masih, institutions were run in his name all over the world, he got international respect, people all over the world follow him. They give examples, but till today no one has asked his family.’

“It was the moral responsibility of this society and its institutions to see how Iqbal’s family was living in difficult conditions and poverty.”

Liaquat Javed keeps alive the memory of Iqbal along with his family on 16th April every year. Even today they will sit together and relive the fading memories of a child’s little life. Just as Iqbal’s story should have reached our children in our schools, it didn’t happen, but they might be happy to know that the children of a school in Italy, thousands of miles away from Pakistan, would still be giving this message to Iqbal. are:

Dear Iqbal, we heard your story. I saw your picture. We smiled when we saw your raised arms holding the sign of victory. Seeing the seriousness in your eyes, we were scared. Thanks to those little fingers who took so much effort. Thanks to this big heart that spoke so much for the world. Thank you for your bravery, because of which you will live on in all of us forever.’