TOBA TEK SINGH: Scores of brick kiln workers, along with women and children, staged a rally from Gojra Road municipal octroi post to the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Friday.

The protesters, led by Punjab Bhatta Mazdoor Union General Secretary Muhammad Shabbir, carried red flags, banners, placards and chanted slogans.

At the DC office, their leaders Sajida Parveen, Muhammad Ashfaq and Muhammad Nawab said that a wage of Rs1,850 per 1,000 bricks was fixed in a notification on July 1, 2024, by the government. They claimed that even after 14 months, brick kiln owners were paying only Rs1,000 to their workers.

They demanded the DC to implement the government’s notification.

Mr Shabbir claimed that whenever any worker complained against a kiln owner, police was used to harass them.

Social Security Assistant Director Muhammad Naveed and Labour Welfare Assistant Director Qamar Abbas Warraich held negotiations with the protesters on behalf of the DC, who was visiting the flood affected areas in Kamalia.

The officials assured the protesters that social security cards would be issued to the workers at the earliest.

They told the protesters that mediation would be brokered between the workers and owners to settle the wage issue.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2025