NOWSHERA, June 27: A court has recovered and set free five bonded labourers, including four women confined illegally at a brick kiln located on Cherat road in Azakhel.

Nowshera District and Sessions’ Judge Khwaja Wajeehuddin on Wednesday criticised the harsh treatment meted out to the labourers by the brick kiln owner.

The court took the action over an application filed by one of the labourers, Miskeen, an Afghan refugee, who claimed that he and his family had been enslaved by Syed Salam Afridi, the brick kiln owner.

The applicant said he, his mother, wife and daughter, and another female relative worked in the kiln.

He claimed that when the family decided to return to Afghanistan, the owner refused to let them go.

He alleged that the owner had not paid wages or gave them proper food. for many months.

Advocate Qazi Abdul Basit appeared on behalf of the applicant and contended that keeping the family in confinement was against the law.

The court deputed a bailiff and directed police to raid the kiln. The labourers were recovered and produced before the court.

The court ordered their immediate release and said they were at liberty to either leave for Afghanistan or live here in the country.