Secretary Labour Ali Sarfraz holds meeting with Brick Kilns Owners to stop child labour

Lahore: Secretary Labour and Human Resource Department Punjab Ali Sarfraz, in a meeting with office bearers of All Pakistan Brick Kilns Owners Association, has emphasized to give their nominations at Tehsil and District Level to be included in Child labour inspection teams so as to remove Brick Kiln Owners’ reservations regarding raids being made to check violation of Restriction of Employment of Children at Brick Kilns Ordinance 2016, implemented indiscriminately by Punjab Government all over the province.

Punjab Urban Unit is presently conducting a survey regarding exact and authenticated number of children residing at all the brick kilns of the province after which distribution of stipends as announced by Punjab Government under Special Educational Package will be started to school admitted children of Brick Kiln Workers.

President All Pakistan Brick Kilns Owners Association, Shoaib Khan Niazi, General Secretary Mehar Abdul Haq, President Lahore Chapter Muhammad Aslam along with other office bearers, Secretary Punjab Employees Social Security Institute Mansoor Qadir, Director Labour Headquarters Dawood Abdullah, District Officer Labour Syed Hasnaat Javed and other related officers of Labour Department were present in the meeting.

Secretary Labour Ali Sarfraz further said that the demand of Brick Kiln Owners to make Parents of children of Brick Kiln Workers also responsible for child labour was not justified as only Owners are the sole authority for any employment at their Brick Kilns and will be held completely responsible if any child labour was found at Brick Kilns.

Secretary Labour said that draft formulated by the Punjab government has already been handed over to Brick Kilns Owners Association for approval regarding advance payment between labourers and Brick Kilns Owners. He said that Brick Kilns Owners Association should give their consent at the earliest in this regard so that it could be made a part of the ordinance.

The delegation of Brick Kilns Owners Association appreciated the steps taken by the Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif for elimination of the menace of child labour from the province and assured Secretary Labour that they will fully support government endeavors in this regard.