Iqbal Masih

"I would like to do what Abraham Lincoln did. I would like to do it in Pakistan" were the words of Iqbal Masih. After learning about what Abraham Lincoln has done in America, Iqbal Masih wanted to create a change in Pakistan as well. Masih was born in the small village of Muridke on the outskirts of Lahore, Pakistan. His family was barely surviving with what little they had. His father, Saif Masih, abandoned his wife and left Masih's mother to raise seven children alone. After that, Iqbal Masih's older brother was soon to be married. For the family to get the sufficient funds for the wedding, they borrowed money from a local employer. In exchange, they sent Iqbal Masih to the factory to work off the loan. At this time, Iqbal Masih was only four. At the factories, children worked for hours in harsh working conditions. Masih's life completely gone downhill from that point. For six years, Iqbal Masih worked long and hard hours, receiving beatings after beatings for attempting to escape. However, at the age of ten, Iqbal Masih was able to sneak out to attend a Bonded Labor Liberation Front (BLLF) meeting. At that point, his goal to abolish child slavery in Pakistan finally began. Iqbal Masih, through the display of his courage in critical times, his outspoken voice in the crowds, and his unfaltering dedication toward the goal of abolishing slavery, is what defines him as a hero and an inspiration to everyone.

Iqbal Masih was able to show a great amount of courage in the most dire situations where most others could not. As a member of the BLLF, he did all that he could against child slavery. Even if his life was at risk, he placed himself out there to support the cause: "He once pretended to be one of a factory's workers so that he could question the children about their work conditions. This was a very dangerous expedition, but the information he gathered helped close down the factory and free hundreds of children" (Rosenberg, Jennifer). Most children would have been traumatized after working at a carpet factory for six years, receiving daily beatings, but not Iqbal Masih. Instead of escaping from the horrors that resided in the factories, he joins the BLLF to fight it. Masih, who has already been liberated, ventures back into the factories so that he could support the fight against child slavery. Iqbal Masih soon became a prominent leader in the cause. When obstacles came across his path, he stood firm and was able to face it without any doubts: "Iqbal's growing popularity and influence caused him to receive numerous death threats. Focused on helping other children become free, Iqbal ignored the letters" (Rosenberg, Jennifer). Masih's impact on bonded child labor lead many carpet manufacturers to send him death threats. Iqbal did not let this bother him because he was so focused on the task at hand. Rather than worrying about the safety of his own self, he concerned himself with the safety of others. His enduring character causes him not to waver and like he said: "I would like to do what Abraham Lincoln did. I would like to do it in Pakistan" (Iqbal Masih). His drive to end slavery in Pakistan overcomes all other fears. Iqbal's courage had certainly taken him far. His lionhearted nature was what enabled him to free thousands of children and showed how you must "familiarize yourself with the chains of bondage" (Abraham Lincoln) before you can really feel like when you have been chained to the ground.

Iqbal Masih took the initiative to give his speeches and stories to share his experiences and raise awareness of child labor around the world. Masih took every possible chance to speak before a crowd to help fight against child labor. He used his voice to encourage others who were just like him to escape from their employers: "He spoke courageously at marketplaces, schools and factories. Suffering from stunted growth, Iqbal told of how he had been robbed of his childhood. He said that the children should not be afraid of the carpet masters but vice versa! He fearlessly urged children to break away from their masters" (Asian Education Foundation). Iqbal Masih's one goal was to free others from child slavery, so he did not let fear overcome him. Iqbal spoke to emboldened his audiences so that they can muster the courage in order to leave their masters. With this voice of Iqbal Masih, hundreds of children were liberated. All of his speeches and stories that he told, aided him in his campaign to abolish child slavery. But Masih did not restrict his voice to just the Pakistani. After joining the BLLF, Iqbal began traveling with several activists, spreading the word about child labor to places all around the world. When he won the Reebok Youth in Action Award he traveled to Boston to receive the award and said how the employers "...gave work for the children with this instrument. If there is something wrong, the children get beaten with this. And if they are hurt, they are not taken to doctors. There the children do not need these instruments but they need this instrument, the pen, like the American children have. Unfortunately, those children do not have it right now. I hope that you will help BLLF like they have helped us. By your cooperation BLLF can help a lot of children and give them this instrument, the pen." (Broad 200). Iqbal Masih was a boy who did not fear the world. Though he was not fully educated, his unfaltering character lead him to speak freely at important meetings and crowds. He was potentially able to move his audiences and inspire them to create change in the world. By putting his voice out to the world and raising awareness of the cruel things that are happening in multiple places in the world, the dream of abolishing slavery was almost becoming reality. Iqbal Masih, only the age of 12 at the time, was able to speak his heart and move thousands of people and liberating those who have not yet escaped.

Iqbal Masih, does not retreat from the scene once he has been liberated. He joins the BLLF in order to fight back against the wrong of child labor. Iqbal's dedication lead him to become a leader in the cause, and there he further represented the BLLF in his fight against slavery: "Iqbal then became president of BLLF's children's wing. He grew into an ardent activist and one of the world's most outspoken voices against child labor. Iqbal would travel to factories employing children and talk to them about their rights and how to leave. According to BLLF Chairman Khan, he helped to free thousands of working children. In November 1994 Iqbal went to Stockholm, Sweden, and spoke about Pakistani children's working conditions at an international labor conference organized by the Swedish Industrial Union and the BLLF The following month, he traveled to Boston to accept the Youth-in-Action Award from Reebok. Iqbal planned to use the $15,000 prize money to go to school, become a lawyer, and work for the cause of freedom in his country" (Biography Reference Center). Iqbal stayed committed and followed through with the BLLF. He felt strongly against child slavery and done all that he could do to raise awareness and prevent it from ever happening again. A child of twelve, became the president of the BLLF's children's wing. Iqbal was not just a member of the BLLF, he was a leader. Iqbal even used the money he had received from the award for the cause, rather than using it for his own selfish needs. By using the money to go back to school and to become a lawyer, Iqbal was able to make stronger arguments in future battles. This show how much he cares about those who have or are suffering from bonded labor. After attending school , Iqbal Masih was able to attain a greater sense of what was right and what was wrong. Even with his education, he continued to take dangerous missions in order to save others: "As his understanding of labor laws and human rights grew, he began using his energetic personality to speak on behalf of the enslaved workers. He would sneak into factories and begin asking the children about their experiences and if they were slaves. Even though this was an incredibly risky job, his malnourished body and stunted growth made him appear to be only around six years old so he was rarely perceived as a threat" (Kile, J.). Iqbal attended school because it would help him speak for those who are still slaves.. His dedication to this matter is entirely earnest because he values what is right. Once again, Iqbal returns to the dreaded factory, endangering his own self, all the while helping the many lives of others. Iqbal Masih's hard work and devotion to abolish slavery in the world shows how dedicated he was to create a difference that would be affecting the lives of many others who were enslaved just like him.

Through Iqbal Masih's courage, outspoken character, and dedication toward the cause, he is a hero who inspires everyone, no matter the age or race, to stand for what is right. From his stories in Pakistan, to his speeches in other countries, Masih raised global awareness of child slavery. His courage is what allowed him to first take action and his dedication lead him to fight against child slavery alongside the BLLF. Iqbal Masih was able to create a great difference in his lifetime. Unfortunately, he was assassinated at the age of thirteen when he was bringing dinner to a nearby relative. He was bicycling when a man appeared onto the road. The man took out a gun and aimed it toward Masih. He died instantaneously. Though it was an unfavorable death for Iqbal Masih, he accomplished much more than an average man. I feel that Iqbal Masih is truly an inspiration. Masih creates changes in the world and his age does not affect him whatsoever. He is still just a child, but has done what most men will not. I think Iqbal Masih is a great role model for our society. Not only is he courageous, vocal, and dedicated, he is a hero who should be looked up to. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Regardless of his age, it did not stop Iqbal Masih from becoming a hero. And though he is no longer on the face of this earth, he will always be remembered as "Chief Justice" in the halls of the Bonded Labor Liberation Front.