LAHORE - Punjab IGP Arif Nawaz Khan has said a campaign against bonded labour at bricks kilns should be launched to eliminate child labour in all districts.
The police were also directed that no delay should be tolerated for legal action against owners of these kilns in case of forced labour. The police would launch crackdown with the help of labour department and teams of Child Protection Bureau.
The police chief expressed these views while addressing a conference of regional police officers here at the central police office on Wednesday. Punjab Additional-IG Aamir Zulfiqar Khan, DIG Shahzad Sultan, AIG Imran Mehmood and Saif ul Murtaza also attended the conference besides others.
The IGP said that all the district police officers should devise a comprehensive security plan to guard mosques, Imambargahs and other congregations on the eve of Shab-e-Baraat. The police will also launch crackdown to implement ban on fireworks.
Additional IGP (Operations) Aamir Zulfiqar Khan informed the police chief that there are total 9,288 kilns located in the Punjab province where at least 266,750 labourers work. Among these labourers are 239,392 male workers and 27,358 female workers.
He said that the police took action against kilns owners found involved in bonded labour since 2016. At least 15,813 inspections were conducted under the supervision of DPOs and SDPOs in different districts and 2739 workers and children were found struck in bonded labour.
(The Nation)
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