He was just a boy of 12 when he was shot dead as he was too much of a threat to the powerful and corrupt and their exploitation of the poor. He had just too much influence upon the downtrodden to be allowed to be lived by the powerful.

Who was this kid?

Iqbal Masih was born into a poor family in Muridke near Lahore.His mother had borrowed money from a carpet factory owner in Iqbal’s name for her operation.Scumbbing to burden of the debt, his parents were compelled to abandon him to eternal slavery at the tender age of four.

Although Iqbal was working as a debt labourer, his exploitation was no worse than the next bonded labourer. In spite of working 14 hours, 7 days a week, he never earned enough to pay off his loan and it’s rising interest burden. In fact he was even subjected to gruesome treatment and deprived of proper nutrition by the factory owner.

However, all the odds that stood so tall against him did not deter him from dreaming of his freedom. He was about 10 when he learnt that bonded labour had been declared illegal by Supreme Court of Pakistan and managed to escape and reach a local police station. But reporting his case to the police only worsened his predicament. The police officials returned Iqbal to the factory owner and advised him to tie up the boy upside down. Now, Iqbal was subjected to even more ruthless abuse and labour.

Nevertheless, Iqbal managed to escape the factory a second time and this time he knew better than to report his case to the supposed ‘custodians of law.’He instead attended the Bonded Labour Liberation Front (BLLF) School for former child slaves and quickly completed a four-year education in only two years.Iqbal helped over 3,000 Pakistani children that were in bonded labour to escape to freedom and made speeches about child labour throughout the world.He toured many places in Pakistan and even travelled internationally to strengthen the fight against bonded labour.

While he was in the US, he was asked why he wanted to return to Pakistan when he knew of the danger to his life. To that, he courageously responded saying that his mission was more important than his life and with his life it is that he paid the price of his dream of freedom.Iqbal was fatally shot in Muridke, Pakistan on 16th April 1995, shortly after returning from a trip to the U.S.

He was then just a boy of 12, but he had already left behind an imprint that many of us wouldn’t manage to create in our long lifetime. His funeral was attended by more than 800 mourners. His ideals and legacy inspired creation of organisations like ‘Free the child.’

He proved that “One doesn’t have to live long to change the world” and taught all of us to stand up for what we believe in.He is embodiment of the phrase that ” Jindagi toh badi honi chahiye lambi nahi.” i.e “Life needs to be large,not long.”

Those who shot Iqbal Masih forgot that “Ideas are bulletproof.”His dream of a world free of bonded labour still lives on!