Pakistan: More than 70 Christian workers killed by toxic gases – What a UN document reveals

More than 70 Christian sanitation workers have reportedly died from exposure to toxic gases in Pakistan since 1988. Although Christians represent just 1.37% of the country’s population, they are estimated to account for 80% of its sanitation workforce, according to a written statement circulated at the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The figures expose allegations of systematic discrimination against Pakistan’s Christian minority, whose members are disproportionately employed in dangerous sanitation jobs, frequently without adequate protective equipment.

The document, submitted by the NGO International Support for Human Rights and circulated on September 24, 2026, reports that 16 sanitation workers have died since April 2026 alone from suffocation and exposure to toxic gases.

It also cites research indicating that 78.6% of surveyed sanitation workers had never received personal protective equipment, while 57.1% reported workplace injuries.

Christians disproportionately exposed to deadly working conditions According to the organization, the dangers faced by Christian sanitation workers are closely linked to religious discrimination and longstanding caste-based…