Christian Brick Kiln Worker Victim of Organ Trade Highlighting Broader Concerns (Worthy News Investigation)

By Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (Worthy News) – A Christian laborer forced to work in Pakistan’s harsh brick kiln industry is recovering after falling victim to an organ trafficking scheme “that ignited outrage” across the nation, according to an investigation shared with Worthy News.

Mohsin Masih, an impoverished so-called “bonded laborer” from Punjab province, was “deceived into undergoing surgery” after being told he suffered from a serious illness, sources said.

However, upon waking, the 45-year-old married father discovered that one of his kidneys had been removed in the Lahore city hospital without his consent and later sold to a foreign recipient, Worthy News learned.

LEAD Ministries Pakistan, a human rights group dedicated to protecting Christian minorities, shared its investigation with Worthy News and is calling “for urgent action and justice on behalf of Mohsin.”

Pastor Imran Amanat, head of LEAD Ministries, described the case “as heartbreaking but, unfortunately, not unique.”

He told Worthy News that Mohsin’s ordeal “reflects the widespread poverty, abuse, and exploitation faced daily by many Christian workers in Pakistan.”

LONG-STANDING DEBT

Born into a long-standing cycle of debt, Mohsin and his family, like countless others, “have been trapped in the harsh conditions of the brick kiln industry for generations,” the pastor stressed.

These “bonded workers,” the term used for modern-day slaves, often endure grueling labor conditions for what LEAD Ministries Pakistan and others call “unfair wages.”

LEAD Ministries Pakistan added that they “have no legal protection, perpetuating their economic vulnerability. ”

Mohsin was approached by individuals pretending to be medical aid workers who convinced him that urgent surgery was necessary, the investigation showed.

Trusting their words and without access to a second medical opinion, he reportedly agreed to the operation.

“In reality, he was ensnared by a black-market organ trafficking network. Investigations reveal that this illegal trade involves both local medical staff and foreign buyers,” confirmed Sardar Mushtaq Gill, a prominent human rights lawyer and founder of LEAD Ministries Pakistan.

“What is especially shocking is the involvement of wealthy individuals from Mohsin’s own Christian community who played a role in deceiving and exploiting him,” he said.

NAME CHRISTIANS

It was unclear whether those involved were so-called “name Christians” who view Christianity as a cultural, family, or social tradition—but do not actively live out the beliefs, teachings, or practices of the faith.

Pastor Amanat, a “born-again Christian” sharing his faith with others, called the organ harvest a “betrayal.”

He spoke to Worthy News about the “shamefulness of exploiting someone’s trust, particularly from within one’s own community, for personal gain.”

Gill urged “prayers and support for vulnerable Christian bonded laborers like Mohsin who continue to face exploitation and abuse.” He said the case has galvanized activists and religious leaders who have taken to social media, using hashtags such as #JusticeForMohsin and #StopChristianExploitation to demand justice and meaningful reform.

“Mohsin is recovering physically, but the trauma of his experience has deeply shaken his community and raised urgent concerns about human trafficking, medical ethics, and the protection of marginalized workers in Pakistan,” Gill told Worthy News.

Pastor Amanat stressed, “This case must not be forgotten or dismissed,” urging “society to ensure such injustices are never repeated.”

Mohsin’s story, he said, “is a powerful reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by the poor and the urgent need for systemic change to safeguard human rights.”

KIDNEY BAZAAR

Rights groups say Pakistan is one of the world’s largest kidney bazaars, where impoverished individuals—often Christian bonded laborers—sell kidneys to organ tourists for up to $1,000–$2,000.

Investigators found that most donors are extremely poor bonded laborers coerced by agents. In some cases donors, like Mohsin Masih, received no payment at all. Analysts say many of the targeted Pakistani Christians are descendants of low-caste Hindus who converted during the colonial era. They remain marginalized and are often relegated to menial or dangerous jobs, Worthy News documented.

The U.S. State Department’s 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report cited expert estimates that around 4.5 million workers are trapped in bonded labor across Pakistan, including children. Most, if not all, are working in the country’s nearly 20,000 brick kilns, according to investigators.

The Global Slavery Index 2023 indicated that about 2.35 million people were “living under conditions of modern slavery, including forced labor or forced marriage in Pakistan.” However, U.S. officials and other sources suggest the real figure is much higher due to many “bonded labor” cases.

A majority of brick kiln workers are Christians, despite comprising up to 2 percent of Pakistan’s mainly Muslim population of 252 million people, according to numerous sources investigated by Worthy News.

Kiln owners often recruit in poor Christian neighborhoods, as these families may be desperate for cash and less able to challenge unfair contracts, explain human rights groups.

Although bonded labor is illegal under Pakistan’s Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1992, enforcement is weak, especially for minority workers who have little political influence, critics say.

The government is under pressure to improve the situation, but advocacy activists believe not enough is being done to end the system of bonded labor and other forms of modern slavery in the Islamic Asian nation.

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