SAHIWAL: Hundreds of brick kiln workers, including women and children and rights activists, protested, blocked city roads and marched against the district government, social security and labour departments of the district over their failure to implement a raise the kiln owners representatives had agreed to give to workers at 254 kilns across the district.

The march started from the press club and culminated in front of the Commissioner Office.

The protesters demanded the district government force kiln owners to implement Rs100 increase in their wages. They were carrying placards and banners and were chanting slogans against the government over non-implementation of local government’s decision.

They blocked College Road, Yadgar Chowk and Commissioner Road for four hours and police had to divert traffic to the Civil Lines Police Station Road.

Anjum Matto blamed brick kiln owners for torturing and expelling the kiln labourers who had participated in the protest march last month. He said six applications were submitted against torture in police stations of Chichawatni, Ghaziabad and Harrapa but police were supporting kiln owners.

District Officer Labour Hyder Shah agreed with Dawn that the local government had failed to force kiln owners to increase workers wages.

“The reason for non-implementation is that existing kiln owners association is representing only 20-35 kiln owners and not all of 254,” he argued.

However, he had no answer when asked that whose responsibility it was to implement the Punjab government’s notification district.

DCO Dr Sajid Mahmood addressed kiln labourers through telephone and assured them of resolving their issue.

Muhammad Mansha, a kiln labourer, criticised the Punjab government for failure to implement its own decision of increasing kiln wages across Punjab, calling it bad governance.

Protesters dispersed after assurance by district government officials that a stakeholders meeting will be called to review the situation.