LAHORE, Jan 11: Punjab Labour and Human Resource Minister Ehsaanuddin Qureshi says the labour department has launched a special campaign to eliminate dengue vector and make Lahore a disease-free city by involving labour activists and workers' organisation.

In this regard, the department would especially focus on protecting brick kilns and industrial workers from dengue by creating awareness among them and other segments of society, said a press release issued on Wednesday.

Addressing a seminar organised by the department in collaboration with Bonded Labour Liberation Front (BLLF), European Union and Actionaid Pakistan at Alhamra Hall, he termed Shahbaz Sharif the only chief minister in the country who brought foreign experts to Lahore to combat dengue virus.

'The CM got capacity of the Pakistani doctors built through experts and enabled them to fight the dengue epidemic,' Mr Quershi said.

The minister directed the officials concerned to ensure payment of minimum wages of Rs517 to brick kiln workers and initiate action against those involved in denying mini-mum wages to them.

On the occasion Punjab Labour and Human Resource Secretary Hassan Iqbal said the department would continue it services for the uplift of workers. He said it was the need of the hour to make arrangements in advance before the onset of the mosquito season. He said the entire social security hospitals of the province had been providing free medical treatment to the dengue patients since the epidemic gripped Lahore and some other parts of the province last year.

BLLF Secretary-General Syeda Ghulam Fatima appreciated the Punjab government and labour department for carrying out activities for health and welfare of the workers in association with labour activists. She appealed to the minister and the secretary to ensure payment of minimum wages of Rs517 to brick kiln workers besides lifting a ban on labour inspections. District Officer (Labour) Sheikh Sabir, Working Women Organisation's President Rubina Jamil, Project Officer (Drug Free City Lahore) Nadeem Abbas, Muhammad Akbar and others also spolce on the occasion whereas scores of bricks kiln workers and owners and people from various walks of life attended the seminar.