RAWALPINDI, Feb 12: Police on Thursday raided a kiln in Gujar Khan on the directive of district and sessions judge Rawalpindi Abdul Qayyum Raja and recovered eleven bonded labourers, including four children and three women.

Earlier, the kiln-owners thrashed and did not allow entry to the bailiff appointed by the judge for the recovery of the detainees. The court had appointed bailiff Mehboob Awan for the recovery of the labourers after receiving a habeas corpus application from Haider Hayat.

Mr Hayat had told the court that kiln-owners, including Tariq Hussain, Mirza Bashir and Meharban Chaudhry, had detained eleven of his family members as bonded labourers for the last four years.

He said the kiln-owners were neither giving them sufficient food and clothing nor allowing them to meet their relatives. However, when the bailiff tried to enter the kiln, the owners thrashed him and did not allow him entry.

The bailiff returned to the court and reported the matter to the judge, after which the court directed the police to raid the kiln, recover the labourers and arrest the owners.

Among those who were recovered included one-year-old Waqas, one-and-a-half-year old Shafqat and two other children. While the adults were identified as Mohammad Ashraf, Mohammad Ameer, Umar Hayat, Sikendar Hayat, Kalsoom, Nazeeran Bibi and Tanveer Kausar.

PESHAWAR AZAM TARIQ MURDER CASE: The judge of the special anti-terrorism court No 1, Manzoor Ahmed Mirza, on Thursday started the hearing of Maulana Azam Tariq murder case in Adiala Jail after receiving written approval from the home department.