Bonded Labour in Harappah, Pakistan
Debt bondage or bonded labor is a form of slavery where a person vows himself or herself against a loan. In this modern form of slavery workers are forced to work in worst conditions with minimal or no facilities of health and other basic requirements. Despite the Bonded Labour System Abolition Act 1992 and 1995, still a majority number of people are working as bonded labors.The time duration for giving services is unknown and usually debt bondage may lead from generation to generation. According to Daily Times, there are over 1.7 million people involved in bondage in Pakistan. Most of them belong to Sindh and are under the captive of feudal lords.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has raised its voice over the bonded labor cases and the government’s failed attempt to liberate these people. This deplorable act took an ugly shape when a report was released by the Asian Development Bank and the Government of Sindh which stated that there are one million agricultural workers in captivity, in the regions of Dadu, Badin, Thatta, Mirpurkhad and Umerkot. The majority of laborers are Muslim, while some belong to the untouchables and some from the tribal communities of Tharparkar desert. Poverty is the main reason for this forced slavery, as they need cash to feed their families, and hence work from dawn to dusk.
This video shows the testimonies of the assaulted victims of the brick kiln sites. 10 to 15 people from the police squad along with the SHO had broken into their houses and raided their homes. They battered women and children, and manhandled them. One of the victims told that the police resorted to ill treatment just because they had demanded Rs.517, which is what the Government of Pakistan had announced for the brick kiln workers. However, the brick kiln owners refused to pay them that amount. They wrongly accused them of holding weapons. There is nobody to give them justice, even though they have gone from pillar to post to have their voices heard but to no avail.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has raised its voice over the bonded labor cases and the government’s failed attempt to liberate these people. This deplorable act took an ugly shape when a report was released by the Asian Development Bank and the Government of Sindh which stated that there are one million agricultural workers in captivity, in the regions of Dadu, Badin, Thatta, Mirpurkhad and Umerkot. The majority of laborers are Muslim, while some belong to the untouchables and some from the tribal communities of Tharparkar desert. Poverty is the main reason for this forced slavery, as they need cash to feed their families, and hence work from dawn to dusk.
This video shows the testimonies of the assaulted victims of the brick kiln sites. 10 to 15 people from the police squad along with the SHO had broken into their houses and raided their homes. They battered women and children, and manhandled them. One of the victims told that the police resorted to ill treatment just because they had demanded Rs.517, which is what the Government of Pakistan had announced for the brick kiln workers. However, the brick kiln owners refused to pay them that amount. They wrongly accused them of holding weapons. There is nobody to give them justice, even though they have gone from pillar to post to have their voices heard but to no avail.