Bondage or bonded labour is undoubtedly one of the most inhuman practices that continue to prevail in the country. In spite of the constitutional provisions and legislations forbidding forced labour, along with repeated assurances by the government to protect the rights of the workers, this form of exploitation continues to exist in various parts of the country.
Workers in brick kilns, agriculture farms and other informal sectors continue to live without basic human dignity and the freedom to lead their lives according to their own will. For many families, bondage is not just an act of misery, but a hereditary problem. The recent expression of appreciation of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights regarding the Pakistan government’s decision to raise the marriageable age to 18 years is undoubtedly heartening. This appreciation was part of the committee’s evaluation of the second periodic report of Pakistan on economic, social and cultural rights. But even while appreciating the move, this committee has expressed serious concerns about Pakistan’s human rights situation.
While child marriage and bonded labour seem to be two entirely different social evils, both practices rob people of their freedom, options, and opportunities. While children who are married off at an early age lose their childhood and have to face all sorts of difficulties, both physically, socially and emotionally, similarly, children born to families practicing bonded labour have to spend their childhood working in brick kilns and on farms instead of going to school. In such a case, it is the conditions passed down by the family and the debts that dictate what their future would be like and not their talents and desires.
The brick kiln industry forms one of the best examples for the understanding of the practice of debt bondage in Pakistan. Poor families generally get loans from kiln owners to cover some immediate expenditure needs such as those for medical treatment, etc. The loans are converted into lifetime liabilities because of interest and other financial factors that increase the amount that has to be paid back. The workers get wages that are so meager that it becomes nearly impossible to repay the loan.
The matter only gets worse when the debt passes on to the next generation because children take up the financial liabilities of their parents and enter the same exploitative system but without having any chance to contest it. Workers may work throughout their lives in brick-making but earn less than what is required to release them from their debts. It means that the system actually makes use of poverty to gain control over the workers’ mobility, pay and lifestyle.
The requirement of bricks at low prices also brings the issue of accountability of the whole construction sector. Construction companies, contractors and organizations in the public sector that use bricks without verifying the working conditions under which these are made contribute to maintaining this exploitative system. There should be strict policy regulations in public procurement that prevent government-funded projects from getting benefit out of products produced through forced or bonded labour.
The extent of the issue is significant. Punjab has around 210,000 brick kiln laborers, while there were over 2,900 cases of bonded labor reported in the province in the previous year. This data shows that the problem of bonded labor is not a unique case where only some people are subjected to it. This is a systematic issue that needs constant attention of institutions, monitoring and an appropriate strategy for protecting the laborers.
There is another problem in the neighboring province, Sindh. According to The State of Peasant Rights in Sindh, 2025, there are up to 1,311 laborers who have been freed from brick kilns and the agricultural industry in the province. While freeing these people is a significant step, rescue operations cannot solve the problem as many of those released still remain economically fragile and can fall under similar conditions again.
The biggest flaw in the strategy employed by the government is the disparity between legislative action and its enforcement. According to Article 11 of the Constitution, slavery, forced labor, and human trafficking are all prohibited. Likewise, the Bonded Labor System (Abolition) Act, 1992 abolished bonded labor as well as made it an illegal activity. This gives the necessary legal framework to end the practice of debt bondage as well as ensure the protection of those involved. However, the ongoing practice of bonded labor after many years since the passing of the law shows how ineffective legislative action has proven to be in offering any protection to those at risk.
One of the main reasons for the failure is due to the lack of routine inspection. Government departments only get to work after some incident is brought into light via media or through courts. This is why the exploitative activities go unnoticed for many years. Exploitation is not restricted to underpayment and long working hours alone. Verbal harassment, physical assault, torture and, sometimes even murder, are common occurrences. Female employees in particular are more susceptible as they are subjected to economic deprivation and therefore lack proper social security, which makes them more vulnerable to various kinds of exploitation. The National Commission for Human Rights has expressed concern regarding sexual exploitation and forced marriage of female workers who are engaged in bonded labor.
There is also the role of powerful people like landlords and kiln owners who make the matters more difficult. Poor people do not feel comfortable approaching the police and labor authorities as they are apprehensive of facing violent consequences from them in return. It is possible that some people use their political connections to avoid punishment for their wrongdoings.
Measures to prevent bonded labor do not consist only of conducting rescue operations and making laws. The government should make sure that there is proper monitoring, punish the wrongdoers and provide legal assistance to the victims. People freed from bonded labor should be provided with financial support, better living conditions and the chance to start a new life. Their children need to go to schools and not work in the same exploited manner.
Also, it is crucial to address the issue of poverty as well, since this makes people prone to debt bondage. Fair wages, good health care services, education and emergency financial help can prevent people from borrowing money from their employers. The government also needs to find a way of verifying bricks and other building material used by the government for their projects, whether they were manufactured by forced labor or not.
It is impossible for Pakistan to claim to be promoting human rights when thousands of families have been forced into a life that amounts to living like slaves. What truly matters in terms of human rights promotion is how much the average individual is able to enjoy freedom and dignity, and how well the law protects all of its citizens equally. Pakistan will continue to face social and economic challenges because of bonded labor unless steps are taken to eradicate poverty and exploitation and to overcome the power of vested interest groups.