Pervaiz Masih

Pervaiz Masih's Widow and Daughter (http://funkorchildart.blogspot.com/)

On October 20, 2009 tragedy struck the quiet campus of Islamabad's International Islamic University. Two suicide bombers launched near simultaneous attacks on both the male and female sides of the campus. On the women’s side, more than 300 Muslim women were saved because of the actions of one man: Pervaiz Masih.

Pervaiz Masih was a Christian man working as a janitor on the campus. He was cleaning the outside of a cafeteria packed with more than 300 female students when the suicide bomber approached, disguised in women’s clothing. As he drew closer to the cafeteria, he shot the guard on duty and tried to enter the cafeteria. The women inside watched as Pervaiz Masih moved to intercept the bomber. He stopped him before he could enter the cafeteria, and told him he could not go in because there were women inside. The women watched as they argued in the doorway, and as the bomber self-detonated right outside of the cafeteria. The blast broke all of the cafeteria windows, but because the bomber had not been able to enter the cafeteria, most of the shrapnel and ball bearings attached to his explosive vest sprayed into the parking lot rather than the cafeteria.

Masih was a member of Pakistan’s Christian minority, one of the poorest communities in the country. He lived in a crowded, single room apartment with 7 other people. At the time of the bombing, Masih has been working at the university for less than a week, and was making barely $60 a month. Despite the fact that Masih was a Christian, he sacrificed his life to save Muslim students. More than 300 women survived that day because a man rose above the barriers of class and religion.

Masih’s mother, 70-year old Kurshaid Siddique, works as a cleaning lady at a nearby house to help make ends meet. She is inconsolable over the death of her son, and she now makes a daily pilgrimage to her son’s grave. She has a framed photograph of her son and from time to time Masih’s 3-year old daughter Diya looks at it and says “Papa.” She is known by everyone at the university as the daughter of a hero, and the university has promised her a free education and a job for Masih’s widow, Shaheen Pervaiz. The Pakistani government has publically announced that they will award 1 million rupees, about $12,000, to Masih’s family for his selfless actions.

Masih’s mother and widow visit his grave every day. The family had to borrow money to pay for a funeral, and the hero’s grave is located in a poor, garbage-strewn cemetery less than 3 feet from a muddy road. When Masih’s mother receives the money from the government, she has vowed to decorate her son’s grave.

As a society, it is important to recognize the everyday heroes in our lives. Heroes act without regard to race, status, or other social barriers. Pervaiz Masih selflessly gave his life to save over 300 Muslim women, despite the fact that their two religions have historically been at odds with each other. He will always be remembered as a hero to the students of the Islamabad's International Islamic University.