Civil society organisations working for the elimination of bonded labour have conducted a press conference on the platform of "National Coalition Against Bonded Labour (NCABL)" after a two-day Workshop & Annual General Meeting of NCABL partner organisations including SPARC, BHS, BLLF, JPC, DCHD, PILLER, GRDO, IRC, TRDP & HRCP in a local Hotel, convened from 25-26th of June 2011, for a joint struggle to eliminate bonded labour from the country.
While in the press conference representatives of all the organisations mutually announced that Forced labour in Pakistan, primarily in the form of debt bondage, is found most commonly amongst agricultural workers. In addition, a high incidence of bonded labour is found in brick kilns, domestic service (particularly women and child labour), carpet weaving and mining. In the above sectors apart from mining, women feature as a major labour force. Since no written contract exists the worker is vulnerable to all forms of exploitation.
They also agreed to organise a joint event from the platform of NCABL on 18th of September through out Pakistan. The coalition condemned the arrest of Punhoo Bhell, an activist and a bonded labourer freed from Azad Nagar Hari camp.
The NCABL expressed real concern over the attack by the Brick kilns owners on the freed bonded labourers like Punhoo Bheel and others living in Azad Nagar Hari camp; they also demand from the police to arrest the influential Brick kiln owner Cooco Pathan and others.
They called upon the government to implement international conventions and minimum wages in different sectors of economy including formal and informal sectors especially brick kilns.
Kashif Bajeer, Ashothama, Ghulam Fatima, Pirbhosatyani, Shaheena Ramzan, Zahid Thebe and others were present on the occasion. They finally demanded from the Government in the press conference that Bonded Labour Abolition Act-1992 should properly be implemented.