An ad for sanitation workers targeting Christians in Pakistan has prompted objections that it suggests only Christians should work such low-paying jobs.
The ad soliciting candidates for sweepers at health facilities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province states, “Christian community will be preferred.” It was posted by Trans-Continental Pharma, a hospital management service contractor with the provincial government, on May 18.
‘Strong protest’
A former member of the National Commission for Minorities, Albert David, said the ad gave the impression that sanitation work was beneath the Muslim-majority population.
“I contacted the chief executive officer of the company and registered a strong protest against the discriminatory ad on behalf of my community. The official has promised to amend the ad,” David said, although there was no change in the ad at the time of this report.
Such a discriminatory ad was a clear violation of Article 27 of Pakistan’s constitution and international conventions to which the country was a signatory, he said.
Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written and originally published by Morning Star News.
