10/19/2023 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – In the heart of Pakistan, where diversity is celebrated and cultural richness flows through the veins of its people, a sinister reality lies hidden, a reality that strikes at the core of humanity. Hundreds of thousands of families have endured generations of servitude within the unforgiving bounds of the brick kilns. Let us journey into the shadows of their existence, where despair and exploitation intertwine, leaving behind scars that time cannot heal.

Amid the breathtaking tapestry of Pakistan’s cultural diversity and linguistic richness lies a heart-wrenching tale of suffering and struggle that often goes unnoticed. In the shadows of urban areas, where the roar of progress deafens the cries of the marginalized, the brick kiln workers of Pakistan toil in a relentless cycle of despair.

Pakistan boasts a mix of of 512 ethnic groups and 74 language groups, a reflection of its vibrant soul. Amid this diversity, however, lies a dark tale of around 20,000 brick kilns that dot the landscape, predominantly congregating near urban areas. Within the blazing heart of these kilns, 4.5 million souls toil, producing a staggering 1,000 bricks each day for a mere pittance of 960 rupees. The kilns blaze at temperatures reaching a scorching 1100 degrees Celsius (2012 degrees Fahrenheit).

These brick kiln laborers, often unseen and unheard, are among the most marginalized and vulnerable in Pakistan. Lacking skills and resources, they labor under dire conditions, deprived of necessities such as healthcare, education, and sanitation. Their grueling workdays, which can stretch up to 12 agonizing hours, yield meager wages, sometimes as low as Rs. 700 per day. Temporary shelters, their only refuge, offer scant ventilation and expose them to the threat of fires and accidents.

A CYCLE OF DEBT AND DESPAIR

A seemingly innocuous loan sets in motion a cycle of bondage that clenches generations in its cruel grip. The workers, ensnared in this web of exploitation, are kept in shadows, their accounts hidden from their eyes. For these millions who suffer, hopelessness stretches before them, an unending abyss of misery.

Debt spirals like a storm gathering momentum, swallowing families whole. Illnesses, inclement weather, deaths, marriages, and births—the very fabric of life—force these workers into the jaws of this insidious trap. Falling sick or bearing a child becomes an iron chain, tethering them to the kilns until debts are repaid. The borrowed sum of 500 rupees inflates to 1,000 rupees on paper, guaranteeing the perpetuation of poverty.

High interest loans, corrupt officials, surreptitious deductions, and doctored accounts cripple these laborers further, while their already desperate living conditions degrade even further. An agonizing helplessness blankets them as debts escalate year after year. Families torn apart, lives shattered—some surrender, paying the ultimate price of despair through suicide.

A GENERATION HELD CAPTIVE

The Global Slavery Index bears witness to an alarming truth—nearly 90% of these workers are ensnared in forced labor. Even though it’s illegal to employ those under 16, almost 70% of bonded laborers in Pakistan are children, robbed of their innocence and potential. These young souls trade classrooms for kilns, their education sacrificed on the altar of servitude.

Remote brick kilns, hidden away in Pakistan’s rural heart, elude scrutiny and regulation, festering in obscurity. Workers live in squalor, the very soil they manipulate to mold bricks giving rise to skin diseases. Billowing black smoke releases toxic fumes, triggering asthma, tuberculosis, and a grim array of afflictions. Kiln owners, joined by corrupt officials, keep these workers shackled, wielding the law as a weapon against those they oppress.

THE CHILDREN OF KILNS: A STOLEN FUTURE

Innocence shattered, childhoods stolen, the children of these kilns live lives robbed of the most basic rights. No church, no Sunday school, no formal education—instead, they inherit the skill of brickmaking. They lack toys, their laughter silenced as they endure a life denied its natural course. Opportunities for growth are luxuries, capacity-building training a distant dream.

Child labor thrives in this unforgiving environment, with the International Labour Organization estimating a grim reality—4.2 million children in Pakistan, hands that should hold pencils, instead wield tools of toil. A relentless cycle of labor, lasting up to 16 hours a day, steals their youth, leaving them with paltry earnings, sometimes as little as Rs. 300.

A GLIMMER OF HOPE AMIDST THE ASHES

The Supreme Court’s voice has echoed but change is still elusive. Only a handful of kilns have embraced environment-friendly technology, while the majority cling to outdated practices, driven by fear of financial upheaval. The zigzag technology’s promise of efficiency and eco-friendliness, like an oasis in the desert, holds potential, yet much work remains to be done.

Brick kiln workers continue to suffer, hidden beneath layers of injustice, their stories eclipsed by the enormity of their struggle. Their tears mingle with the sweat that molds the bricks that build cities. It’s a call to action, a plea to shatter these chains of bondage, to let their stories kindle a fire that ignites change, so that generations no longer bear the yoke of cruelty.

International Christian Concern (ICC) staff recently toured the kilns and met with families. We are exploring ways to better connect our education programs to these children, and launch new initiatives in 2024 to serve this community.

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