Sharmeen Obaid's latest short film tells Iqbal Masih's story

The second installment of SOC Films' short film series on real-life child abuse stories shines the light on the heroic efforts of Iqbal Masih, a young bonded labourer from the Punjab town Muridke who devoted his short life to fight for the rights of children like himself.

In Iqbal Ka Bachpan, we see how Iqbal tried to liberate other child workers like him when the Pakistan Supreme Court declared bonded labour illegal but was betrayed by the police. After suffering torture by his factory owner, he managed to escape and get the education he desired.

The two-minute film stops short of disclosing Iqbal's unfortunate fate. After he reportedly toured the world where he raised awareness about the plight of bonded labourers, Iqbal was fatally shot at the age of 12 during a visit to his hometown. The reasons behind his murder are disputed.

This short film is part of SOC Film's four-part short film series Shattering The Silence, which aims to educate young viewers about child abuse with real-life stories of survivors and victims.