LAHORE:The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday ordered the release of 25 kiln workers, including five women and eight children.
Justice Asjad Javaid Ghural passed the orders while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by relatives of the workers for their production and release.
Earlier, a bailiff produced the kiln workers before the court after recovering them from the custody of kiln owners Aman Ullah and Ahsan Elahi. The bailiff reported that the workers had been detained by the kiln owner.
The petitioner’s counsel argued before the court that the respondent owners were extracting forced labour from the workers and they were not being paid according to market rates. However, the respondents’ counsel submitted that the workers had received advance cash and were being paid regularly.
The court, disposing of the petition, ordered the release of workers, besides directing legal action against the owners.