Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday said she was “honoured” that members of the US Congressional Pakistan Caucus have recognised the provincial chief minister’s “bold vision” to mechanise brick kilns, end bonded labour and “peshgi” exploitation, and build a green, ethical and “investment-ready” brick kiln industry.

Peshgi system is the commonly used term for the practice of debt bondage in Pakistan. Instead of just seeking wages in exchange for labour, poor workers take an advance from an employer (in cash or any other form) under the obligation to work for that employer until the debt is paid off.

“Child labour at kilns, once a painful reality, was eliminated under a campaign initiated by [then chief minister] Shehbaz Sharif, neglected for [four] years, and now fully revived and strengthened by CM Maryam Nawaz,” Aurangzeb said in a post on X.

The senior minister’s post highlighted that all brick kilns across Punjab have been geo-mapped, QR-coded, drone-surveyed and linked to a central monitoring dashboard.

“Punjab is now also transitioning government construction towards block-based building, moving away from traditional kiln bricks,” she added, calling the development “not just reform” but a “human rights revolution”.

According to a letter addressed to CM Maryam by Members of Congress Thomas R. Suozzi and Jack Bergman (shared by Aurangzeb on X), “the mechanisation and modernisation of this critical sector will not only support Pakistan in fulfilling its international obligations to end bonded [labour] but also position Punjab as a more attractive destination for foreign direct investment, particularly from American businesses committed to ethical and sustainable engagement”.

The letter added that the progress is “vital” to enhancing bilateral economic relations and strengthening the overall Pakistan-US partnership, “fostering long-term growth and cooperation”.

Moreover, it said that the province is “well-positioned to serve as a pilot province for this initiative”, setting a benchmark for the nation.

“Modernising brick kilns is a critical step that will not only advance human rights but will also make Pakistan more attractive to long-term foreign investment,” stated the letter.

Over 12.5 million children in Pakistan are involved in child labour, according to the Child Rights Movement National Secretariat. One in four households in Pakistan employs a child for domestic work, often in hazardous conditions, as per the International Labour Organisation.

According to a provincial survey, working children accounted for 11.1 per cent of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s child population.

On this year’s World Day Against Child Labour in June, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged parents and employers to join forces in eliminating child labour.