MULTAN, June 12: The district and sessions judge ordered the release of 14 workers, including three women, after their recovery from a brick kiln by a bailiff here on Monday.

Petitioner Khurshid said in a habeas corpus petition that he along with relatives were working at the brick kiln of Malik Mahboob, Shafi and Sultan for the last 18 months at Karmoon Wali in Jalalpur Pirwala.

Later, the owners took their signatures on some paper telling them that it was a process of registration to enroll them for benefits under social security and EOBI. However, it turned out to be a document binding them to do work or face Rs600,000 penalty, he added.

A bailiff raided the brick kiln, recovered the workers and produced them before the court on Monday. The court set them at liberty.

They included; Ghulam Muhammad, Ghulam Rasool, Bilal, Altaf, Saifal, Sikandar Hayat, Ghulam Shabbir, Ijaz, Riaz, Kausar, Mahboob, Nasreen, Gulfam and Sumera Mai. — APP