ISLAMABAD, June 1: A large number of people staged a demonstration on Thursday against the owner of a brick kiln who, they alleged, had forced them into slave labour.

The protesters included children, women and the elderly. Most of them were barefoot, clothed in shreds and looked frail and ailing. They complained that they were underfed, underpaid and forced to work long hours. They demanded to be released from the slavery of the furnace owner.

The protesters had been brought from Muzaffargarh by the kiln owner to work in his furnace located in Tarnol about three months ago.

They were told that each of them would be paid Rs 350 per day along with two meals. But now they are given only a small quantity of food and nothing else. They were being forced to work for long hours, day and night.

They alleged that they were forced to put their finger stamps on papers saying they had been paid Rs500,000.

They also complained that they were beaten, tortured and kept in detention to compel them to work as slave labourer.

They demanded release, payment of their three-month wages and action against the furnace owner.