01/05/2026
Remembering a Giant Among Men: Iqbal Masih
Today, we honor the legacy of Iqbal Masih the young boy from Muridke who broke his chains to become a global voice for the voiceless.
Sold into bonded labor at just 6 years old for a debt of 600 rupees, Iqbal endured 12-hour workdays and physical torture. Yet, his spirit remained unbroken. After escaping, he dedicated his short life to freeing over **3,000 children** from the same shackles he once wore.
Though he was tragically taken from us at only 13, his courage birthed a global movement. He famously reminded the world that children should hold pens, not hammers.
To my friends and family in Child Rights:
Your work is the continuation of Iqbal’s dream. Every time you advocate for a child’s education or protection, you are ensuring that his sacrifice was not in vain.
I am one of those millions of children who are suffering in Pakistan through bonded village labor... I am free and I am standing in front of you."
Iqbal Masih (1983–1995)
Let’s keep fighting until every child is free to bloom.
Blessings
