SC to hear plea by brick kiln workers from April 2

Petitioners seek minimum wages, laws to end their miseries

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will start hearing from tomorrow [Monday] a constitutional plea from brick kiln (bhatta) workers, seeking directions for enforcement of their fundamental rights.

The top court’s three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, will take up the constitutional petition filed by 11 workers through Aftab Alam Yasir advocate.

The petition has nominated as respondents the federal and all provincial governments. The bench will also take up a separate plea of a brick kiln worker, Muhammad Innait, against his bonded labour.

The petitioners have asked if they are not the citizens of Pakistan, having fundamental rights to guard themselves from the tyranny of the brick kiln owners, “who are consistently violating their fundamental rights through bonded labour”.

They have claimed that the kiln owner do not allow them  to seek the interference of labour unions and other statutory bodies for their betterment, and their class is left without any legal remedies, which is violative of the Constitution.

The petitioners have asked the SC that the federal and provincial governments be directed to frame proper laws and rules to end their miseries and of their class, and to determine their minimum wages.

They have also asked the court to direct the governments to enforce their fundamental rights to curb exploitation by brick kiln owners by taking necessary and special measures against their being made banddis, or slaves, for life.

The petitioners have also requested that the respondents be directed to take all necessary steps to control harmful material being used as fuel for running the kilns. They have sought implementation of all SC judgments.