Islamabad High Court strikes down “Christians-only” sanitation job ads

The Islamabad High Court ruled that advertising sanitation jobs exclusively for Christians is unconstitutional. A Bitter Winter report reveals that structural discrimination against religious minorities persists in Pakistan, showing legal decisions alone cannot dismantle entrenched social hierarchies.

Islamabad: Pakistan’s non-Sunni Muslim communities — including Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, and Ahmadis — have been subjected to discrimination for decades, often treated as second-class citizens through various subtle and overt ways.

Their concentration in sanitation work and limited representation in other professions is not coincidental but stems from entrenched social hierarchies reinforced by Pakistani government actions, a report mentioned.

---

By normalising the link between minority identity and “low-status” jobs, public institutions in Pakistan continue to strengthen existing prejudices and render discrimination acceptable, a report in online magazine ‘Bitter Winter’ detailed.

“The Islamabad High Court has released the full reasoning behind its 11 November 2025 judgement, which declares that Pakistan’s long-standing practice of advertising sanitation jobs as ‘for Christians only’ is unconstitutional. The detailed explanation confirms what human rights advocates have claimed for years: associating a specific religious identity with sanitation work violates equality, non-discrimination, and the dignity of citizens,” the report detailed.

“The Court found this practice inconsistent with Articles 25, 27, and 36 of the Constitution. It emphasised that assigning a religious community to a stigmatised job undermines human worth. Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas described dignity as the ‘jewel in the crown of fundamental rights’, highlighting the seriousness of this seemingly trivial issue,” it added.

The report noted that the judgement’s full reasoning reveals a significant concern, with discriminatory advertisements still appearing in both open and coded language despite the ruling.

“Many people affected do not challenge these ads because they fear retaliation, lack access to legal help, or believe that fighting such discrimination is futile. The Court’s decision may empower some to seek justice, but it cannot retroactively protect those who lacked the means or confidence to sue before,” it stated.

The ruling, it said, underscores that the problem goes beyond just recruitment advertisements, reflecting deeper assumptions which enable such content to be created, approved, and published without scrutiny across Pakistan.

“The Court has questioned the belief that certain citizens are naturally suited to specific types of work based on their faith. However, mindsets do not change quickly, and legal decisions alone cannot dismantle social hierarchies that have been upheld for decades. The ongoing appearance of discriminatory ads, even after the court’s intervention, indicates that the problem is structural. It is woven into bureaucratic practices, social expectations, and the accepted presence of inequality,” the report mentioned.