A sanitary worker has died after inhaling toxic gas in Faisalabad while he was cleaning a sewer - another reminder of the authorities failure to provide adequate safety equipment.

Shaukat Masih, who was a father of three, entered the main drainage line to open the pump wall of the sewer along with three others albeit without any safety equipment. The workers - Shahzad Irshad Masih, Tahir Amjad and Pervaiz Sadiq along with Shaukat - were cleaning the sewer when the toxic gas leak occurred that made it impossible for them to stay there without proper breathing equipment.

Shaukat was unable to escape while the other three managed to come out of the drain. They have been admitted to the hospital n Ghulam Muhammadabad in serious condition. Rescue 1122 official took out Shaukat's body from the sewer.

At least 50 workers of the Water and Sanitation Agency have died while cleaning drains in Faisalabad in recent years, according to minority-issues focused digital platform Kross Konnection.

The sanitary workers union accused the Water and Sanitation Agency Faisalabad for their negligence that led to the death of Shaukat and serious condition of the other three workers.

In January, the National Commission for Human Rights - a government human rights body - launched a campaign in Islamabad, sharing awareness messages through print, electronic and digital media through a series of online posts on discriminatory advertisements for sanitation workers, information on the government’s quota system and highlighting the deaths of sanitary workers.

The NCHR also announced a plan to file a suit against the government to remove discriminatory language from advertisements for sanitary workers.