Mandi Bahauddin: July 25, 2011. (Sher Gondal) Miss Muniba Gondal Advocate, District General Secretary Labor Party Pakistan Mandi Bahauddin and Ashraf Bhatti District President Pakistan Bhata Labor Union have urged government to save labor working at brick kilns from exploitation and oppression of kiln owners. They, on Monday were addressing a meeting of kiln workers at Bhata Union office Jhulana, a suburban village of Mandi city. They said kiln owners treated workers as slaves and paid Rs 3000 per1000 bricks against government fixed rate of Rs 518 per thousand. They said after imposition of tax on sale of bricks, kiln owners had raised selling rate of bricks from Rs 2500 to Rs 5000 per 1000 bricks but they were not paying to labor even the old government fixed rate. They further said that when the labor protested for increase in their labor charges, kiln owners withheld payment of their outstanding labor charges and pressurized them with different means. They said in view of the increasing price hike government should intervene and fix labor charges at Rs 1000 per 1000 bricks. Mukhtar Wirk, president Kisan Wing, Pakistan Ex-Servicemen Society also spoke at the occasion and showed solidarity with kiln workers in their just struggle for their genuine demands.