Faisalabad: December 7, 2015. (PCP) The Peace and Human Development (PHD) Foundation jointly staged a protest rally in collaboration with Peace for Nation International (PNI), the Adara Samaji Behbood (ASB), and Michael Shah Foundation (MSF) on December 2, 2015 outside press club in Faisalabad. A protest rally entitled “Speak up for Elimination of Child and Bonded Labour at Brick Kilns” under “Slavery No More Campaign” to mark International day for the Abolition of Slavery, was joined by workers and rights activists hailing from different communities and various socio-economic backgrounds. The participants of the rally enchanted slogans to express their opposition to slavery, bonded & child labor. Speaking on the occasion, the director of the Peace and Human Development (PHD) Foundation, Suneel Malik said, “The Slavery No More Campaign aims to combat and abolish modern-day slavery and human trafficking from brick kiln sector.” “The government is not serious enough to implement orders of the apex court about bonded labour, EOBI & ESSI benefits. The brick kiln owners continue to violate the Supreme Court order of July 2013 that binds them to make a contribution from their earnings to government departments for the provision of social security and EOBI benefits to brick kiln workers. Therefore, the government must replace labour department by establishing autonomous and financially independent labor commission in order to improve the state of workers’ rights in Pakistan,” he demanded. A lawyer, Hashmat Barkat said, “The Bonded and child labour persists despite declaring it punishable offence in article 11 of the constitution of Pakistan. The workers cannot leave the brick kiln of their free will, because they are bonded through the system of advance payments (peshgi), resulting in exploitation and harassment of workers and their families, while the brick kiln owners provide a part of payment in advance for making sure that the worker families would work overtime as they continue to owe the brick kiln owners.” A labor rights activist, Arif Ayaz said, “Brick kiln workers along with their children work for longer hours to make mud bricks, and put them in the field for drying and stacking to have two square meals irrespective of hot & cold weather. But it is pity that they are paid not even a single penny due to business closure during rainy season. In order to make both ends meet, they are forced to borrow money and very often, the employers would lend money to them. These loans virtually transform workers into slaves. In order to pay back these loans, the burden of work increases and working hours prolong. The children have to share this additional burden too.” A political activist, Tahira Anjum said, “The government departments including; labor, Employees Social Security Institutions (ESSI) and Employees Old-age Benefits Institution (EOBI) are not strong enough to effectively enforce labor laws in letter and spirit to stop exploitation of workers’ rights. That is why, most brick kilns are still unregistered and labour laws/policies are violated in Pakistan which deprives workers from their rights and employment benefits.” A labor rights activist, Abrar Younas said, “Most brick kiln owners have not registered their workers with the Employees Old-age Benefits Institution (EOBI), and Employees Social Security Institutions (ESSI), therefore they are deprived of receiving pension, unemployment benefits, and other kinds of financial support from the Workers Welfare Fund, i.e. free medical treatment, death grants, marriage grants, education grants etc.” A social activist, Irshad Parkash said, “The government must ensure the issuance of Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC), social security cards and EOBI cards to all brick kiln workers by registering them with government departments.” A peace activist, Irfan Gill said, “The government must ensure implementation of notification fixing wages PKR 962 against 1000 bricks for brick kiln workers, and must take effective measures to register and monitor the brick kilns, and enforce existing labour laws particularly; Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1992, and The Employment of Children Act (ECA), 1991 to eliminate child and bonded labour, and stop exploitation of workers’ rights.” A labor rights activist, Aslam Barkat said, “The government must ensure adequate wages and working conditions as prescribed in our constitution and labour law, if it is really serious about benefiting from the GSP Plus status.”