PML-N MNA Chaudhry Riazul Haq Juj had on the May Day lauded the efforts of the Punjab government in general and Shahbaz Sharif in particularly for being keen to provide education, particularly for the children of brick kiln workers across Punjab.

He also reportedly distributed Khidmat Cards among the parents of brick kiln workers to afford educational expenses of their children, who were enrolled in schools.

Through Khidmat Cards, it was pledged that the Punjab government would give an amount of Rs1,000 monthly to each child.

“Though the government has assured us that we will be given the monthly amount, we have neither got our cards nor the amount for the educational expenses of our children,” said a kiln worker of Multan Road.

“All of my children are sitting home. The Punjab government has enacted a new law which bars the children from working with us at the kiln.”

Many parents working at kilns on Multan and Raiwind roads complained that they were not given Khidmat Cards. Only a few lucky parents having such cards said they were sending their children to schools.

Iqbal, who was making bricks in the scorching heat, said: “I have five children. Three of them have started going to school while the rest have not attained the school-going age. I thank the government for making it possible for me to send my children to school.”

When pressed, he replied: “How could I send my children to school had I not been given the amount. But, unfortunately, we are being given the money after three or four months whereas we were promised a monthly payment. Still I consider myself lucky enough than others who are not receiving the amount at all, many even don’t have the cards.”

Another kiln worker said: “Only about 10 per cent parents are getting the amount for meeting educational expenses of their children.”

Talking to brick kiln workers, they said that owners paid them hardly enough to be able to eat two-time meals. “They are forced to borrow money from kiln owners.

They have to work despite suffering from various diseases. Under these pathetic circumstances how can we send our children to schools,” they questioned.

Some of them were bonded labors who said they did not want to send their children to schools. “It is better that our children work with us at the kilns to share our burden instead of going to schools,” they said.

Another kilns workers, Ameen, said: “My neighbor receives Rs1,000 monthly payment, but my children are only provided uniforms, books and pencils. I will stop sending my children to schools if I am not given the amount for my children’s education.”

A young kiln worker said the children did not work at day time because owners feared raids. But the children worked at the day time in those kilns which were situated far from the main roads, he said.

One of the kiln owners said: “You people (reporters) come here only to write against us. It is not your job to see if the children should go to schools or work at kilns.”

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2016