Study reveals plight of brick kiln workers

Evolution of bonded labour from colonial bondage to constitutional protections shows progress, but the brick kiln horrors remind us of unfinished work, said Lahore High Court's Justice Jawad Hassan.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the launch of the study, "Unveiling Exploitation and Abuse in the Brick Kilns of Punjab", by the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) on Tuesday. The study exposes severe human rights abuses faced by brick kiln workers in Pakistan.

"It is incumbent not just on the judiciary but also on the legislative and executive branches to work towards correcting these horrors and let this report ignite collective action for a Pakistan where no worker is bonded, and dignity prevails," he said. Justice Hasan called for legislative reforms, judicial and institutional strengthening and collaborative action to end this extreme exploitation.

The study was conducted in collaboration with the Pakistan Partnership Initiative (PPI). The investigation highlights systemic exploitation, gender-based violence, debt bondage, and widespread denial of basic labour rights of the brick kiln workers in the country.

The report is based on extensive field research in Faisalabad and Kasur — two of Punjab's key brick kiln hubs — where surveys of 200 workers and in-depth interviews with 30 victims led to meticulously documented case studies. It also engaged trade unions, kiln owners, and officials from the Punjab Labour Department to provide a multi-stakeholder perspective.

NHCR Chairperson, Rabiya Javeri Agha, said, "The report follows months of fieldwork, interviews, and surveys identifying violence, exploitation, and abuse in Punjab's brick kilns. It documents laws ignored, promises broken, and dignity denied."

She said that the NCHR has been demanding reform in this most inhuman of sectors for a long time. "For all of us, ending bonded labour is not charity. It is not a favour. It is justice and human dignity. It is the fulfilment of our Constitution's promise."

Guest of Honour Secretary Ministry of Human Rights Abdul Khalique Shiekh said that "bonded labour is a violation of our Constitution, our laws, and our commitments under international human rights treaties.

He stated that the government has taken significant steps — through amendments to labour laws, initiatives such as the Elimination of Bonded Labour in Brick Kilns project, and efforts to regulate advances, improve contracts, and provide identity documents. "But we know more is needed."

He said that such studies are essential as they show us where the gaps remain — between law and enforcement, between policy and practice. "They remind us that passing laws is only the first step. Implementation is the true test of justice."

In his remarks, CEO PPI Ashraf Wadhawa Mall said that the study reveals the extreme conditions faced by brick kiln workers in Pakistan.