Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif paid a surprise visit to brick kilns at villages adjacent to Kasur on Sunday and reviewed the steps taken for elimination of child labour. The Chief Minister landed his helicopter at a village adjacent to Raja Jang, Kasur and visited brick kiln in this village and talked to the labourers.
He also landed his helicopter in the fields of Kumharanwali, another adjacent village to Kasur and visited nearest brick kiln. Seeing a minor boy Tariq working on the brick kiln, Shahbaz Sharif expressed strong indignation and ordered to provide admission to Tariq in the school and arrest the owner of brick kiln Babar Bhatti and take action against him as per law. On the order of the Chief Minister, the police concerned immediately arrested the owner of the kiln on violation of law of ban on child labour. Addressing the gathering of people and labourers working on brick kilns, the Chief Minister said that no one will be allowed to mortgage future of the nation against a few pennies. He vowed that pen and book instead of brick and mud will be given in the hands of innocent children. He said that resources will be provided for equipping the children working on brick kilns with education. Sharif said that he will not rest content till the last child working on brick kiln is admitted to school.
The Chief Minister said that his surprise visits to brick kilns have yielded substantial results with regard to elimination of child labour from brick kilns and he will continue to pay surprise visits to brick kilns in future as well. Shahbaz Sharif said that complete elimination of child labour from brick kilns is his mission and no effort will be spared for the accomplishment of this mission. He vowed that strict action will be taken on the complaint of taking labour from children at brick kilns.
Sharif said the Punjab government has given best package for elimination of child labour from brick kilns. He said that a monthly stipend of one thousand rupees is being given to the children working on brick kilns whereas two thousand rupees will be given to the parents sending their children to school. He said that Punjab government will bear all educational expenses of the children.
He said that free uniform, books, shoes and stationery will be given to the children going to the school whereas transport facility will also be provided to the children of far-flung areas. He reiterated that the cruel system of taking labour from children at brick kilns will be eliminated at every cost.
Addressing to the labourers and parents of the children, Shahbaz Sharif said that Punjab government has given an excellent package for equipping their children with education therefore, they should benefit from it and send their children to school for education as this is also their obligation and responsibility, he added. The Chief Minister said that taking labour from minor children at brick kilns will not be tolerated and he is personally monitoring the steps taken for eliminating child labour.
Earlier, Shahbaz Sharif visited 30-megawatt biomass power plant set up in private sector in Kasur and inspected its different sections.
A briefing regarding biomass power plant project was also given to the Chief Minister on this occasion. The Chief Minister directed Secretary Agriculture that officials of Punjab Biomass Company should visit this power plant with regard to generating electricity through biomass and submit solid proposals in this regard.