December 10, 2025
By Rana Malhi
ISLAMABAD
The Islamabad High Court has directed federal and provincial authorities to take immediate nationwide measures to safeguard sewerage workers, ruling that the state’s failure to provide protective gear and safe working conditions violates constitutional guarantees to life, dignity and equality. The detailed judgment, issued by Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas on November 11, 2025, also orders legislative reforms and demands strict compliance within two months.
The ruling came in response to a public interest petition filed by the Center for Rule of Law Islamabad Pakistan (CROLI) and the Pakistan United Christian Movement (PUCM). The petition sought mandatory protective equipment for workers engaged in manual scavenging, action against public and private bodies that allow hazardous practices, legal reforms for minority rights and compulsory insurance and compensation for sewerage workers killed or injured on the job.
The court noted that the case was driven by an alarming rise in deaths among Christians performing manual scavenging. This work involves the manual handling and removal of human waste from open drains, septic tanks, sewers and insanitary pits—tasks that routinely expose workers to poisonous gases, toxic fumes and harmful infections. Citing reports referenced by the petitioners, the judgment recorded that more than 70 Christians had died in such work since 1988, with over ten deaths reported in recent years due to the lack of protective equipment. The court also noted findings showing that more than 80 percent of sewerage-related occupations are held by Christians, despite the community representing only a small percentage of the national population.
During the proceedings, counsel for the petitioners argued that the inaction of federal and provincial authorities amounted to a violation of Article 9 of the Constitution, which protects the right to life and dignity. They submitted that the failure to provide protective gear was the leading cause of fatalities and breached Pakistan’s international commitments under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as obligations under the Pakistan Occupational Health and Safety Act, 2018. They further argued that discriminatory hiring practices, exploitative working conditions and exclusion of minorities from other forms of employment violated Articles 25 and 27 of the Constitution, which guarantee equality before the law and prohibit discrimination.
The Deputy Attorney General did not oppose the petition. He said the government remained committed to protecting minority rights in line with constitutional safeguards and international obligations.
Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas, in a detailed examination of the facts presented, described manual scavenging as a hazardous and entirely avoidable threat to human life. He wrote that sewerage workers are routinely exposed to toxic underground gases that can impair breathing, kill consciousness and cause organ damage. The court noted that many of these deaths occur suddenly due to inhalation of poisonous fumes in unventilated spaces. The judgment stated that such risks can be prevented with basic equipment such as gas-monitoring devices, proper ventilation and functional protective gear.
The court expressed concern that several ministries and state bodies, in their comments submitted to the court, attempted to shift responsibility or distance themselves from the issue. Justice Minhas questioned whether public office had been reduced to “mere evasion of duty” and reminded the state that the Constitution does not allow any institution to escape accountability for the protection of citizens. He stated that sewerage workers perform essential functions that support everyday life and the public health system, yet they are often made invisible and treated as expendable.
The judgment stressed that workers performing such dangerous tasks cannot be treated as “mechanical beings impervious to poisonous gases.” Justice Minhas said the Constitution imposes a duty on the state and all its functionaries—regardless of the mode of employment or outsourcing arrangements—to ensure that people placed in hazardous situations are provided with safe working conditions. He described the issue as one that goes beyond labor rights and reaches the core of Pakistan’s commitment to equality and justice.
Citing Articles 1, 22 and 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the court noted that dignity, social security and safe working conditions are fundamental entitlements recognized internationally. The judge held that Pakistan, as a founding signatory, must ensure the rights it has committed to uphold. He said the conditions described in the petition were incompatible with both constitutional and international standards.
The court also observed that recurring deaths highlight persistent omissions by state authorities and reflect systemic failures. It said that in similar matters, superior courts have required executive bodies to review and reform administrative structures to prevent future violations. The judgment stated that a similar approach was necessary here because the continued inaction of the respondents amounted to a breach of fundamental rights and justified the issuance of mandamus.
Allowing the petition, the Islamabad High Court issued several binding directives. The federal government was ordered to circulate instructions to all federal and provincial ministries, government-run departments and semi-governmental institutions to ensure that every worker performing manual scavenging is provided with functional protective gear, gas-monitoring devices, ventilation and first-aid arrangements. The court also ordered that similar protocols be implemented across the private sector, making clear that the responsibility to ensure safety extends beyond public employment.
The Ministry of Law and Justice was directed to begin drafting new legislation or amending existing laws to protect the safety, dignity and rights of sewerage workers. The court instructed that the proposed legal framework include provisions for safe working conditions, protective equipment, insurance and compensation for injury or death.
To secure compliance, the judgment requires all respondents to submit detailed reports to the Deputy Registrar (Judicial) within two months of receiving the court order. These reports must outline the measures taken to implement the directions.
The judgment concludes with a clear message: that no individual performing essential labor should be exposed to lethal risks due to state negligence, and that protecting the lives and dignity of sewerage workers is a constitutional obligation that cannot be delayed or ignored.