LAHORE: Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday said she was “honoured” that members of the US Congressional Pakistan Caucus have formally acknowledged Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s “bold and transformative” plan to mechanise brick kiln reforms, eradicate bonded labour, and transition the province towards a greener, more ethical construction sector.
In a post on X, the senior minister said the US acknowledgment underscores the government’s commitment to ending the exploitative peshgi (advance-payment) system, which has tied generations of impoverished labourers to lifelong debt bondage.
For the first time in history, under CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s leadership, all brick kilns across Punjab have been geo mapped, QR coded, drone surveyed and linked to a central monitoring dashboard.
Punjab is now also transitioning government construction towards block based… pic.twitter.com/8hQZ1CnSgp— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) November 21, 2025
Aurangzeb noted that child labour at brick kilns — once “a painful reality” — was significantly curbed under a campaign launched by then-chief minister Shehbaz Sharif, later neglected for four years, and has now been “fully revived and strengthened” under CM Maryam.
She said every brick kiln in the province had now been geo-mapped, QR-coded, drone-surveyed, and integrated into a central monitoring dashboard to ensure transparency and compliance with labour and environmental standards.
“Punjab is now transitioning government construction away from traditional kiln bricks toward block-based building,” she added, calling the shift “not just a reform, but a human rights revolution”.
US Congress members term Punjab ‘well-positioned’ to lead national reform
The recognition came in a letter addressed to CM Maryam by Members of Congress Thomas R. Suozzi and Jack Bergman, parts of which were shared publicly by Aurangzeb.
“The mechanisation and modernisation of this critical sector will not only support Pakistan in fulfilling its international obligations to end bonded labour but also position Punjab as a more attractive destination for foreign direct investment,” the congressional letter stated.
It added that American businesses seeking “ethical and sustainable engagement” would view Punjab’s transformed brick kiln industry as a promising investment destination.
Calling Punjab “well-positioned to serve as a pilot province”, the lawmakers said the reforms would strengthen bilateral economic ties and deepen the long-term Pakistan–US partnership.
“Modernising brick kilns is a critical step that will not only advance human rights but will also make Pakistan more attractive to long-term foreign investment,” the letter added.
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Child labour remains widespread across Pakistan
Despite progress in Punjab’s kiln sector, child labour remains a nationwide challenge. According to the Child Rights Movement National Secretariat, more than 12.5 million children in Pakistan are engaged in labour. The International Labour Organisation estimates that one in four households employs a child in domestic work, often in hazardous conditions.
A provincial survey in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa found that working children make up 11.1 per cent of the child population.
On World Day Against Child Labour earlier this year, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged parents, employers, and institutions to intensify collective efforts to eradicate child labour and protect vulnerable children from exploitation.
Aurangzeb said international recognition of Punjab’s kiln reforms reflects growing global confidence in the province’s drive to modernise labour practices, protect workers, and build a more dignified and sustainable economic future.
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