November 10, 2008	Monday	Ziqa'ad 11, 1429

HYDERABAD, Nov 9: The Sindh Kiln Owners Association has threatened to close down kilns if raids on their kilns and freeing bonded labour, which they termed as persecution and victimisation of kiln owners, are not stopped in a week.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Sunday, the general secretary of the association, Mohammad Farooq Shoukat, and other leader said that the government functionaries and state organisations were ignorant of ground realities and norms and practices of the kiln business.

They alleged that some NGOs were spreading false propaganda against kiln owners with a show of ‘performance’ so that they may get funds from their foreign masters.

They said that the allegations against the kiln owners of maintaining private jails and keeping workers in wrongful confinement were baseless and false.

The kiln owners paid more wages to their workers than other organisations and provided basic facilities to them, Mr Shoukat claimed and added that there were no restrictions on the movement of the workers.

He appealed to the authorities to order an impartial inquiry into the matter.

Answering a question, Mr Shoukat said that there were 1500 kilns in Sindh and each kiln employed 200 to 250 workers. He said that the government had fixed wages of Rs250 for 1,000 bricks but the kiln owners paid Rs280 to a worker for 1,000 bricks.

Answering another question, they said that the normal practice was that workers took loans from the kiln owners which were deducted in instalments. He alleged that the NGOs instigated the workers to lodge false complaints against kiln owners to get rid of outstanding loans.

Earlier, the kiln owners staged a protest demonstration outside the local press club.