The strike of brick-kiln owners entered the sixth day resultantly construction work has came to a complete halt in Punjab and thousands of masons, labourers and builders lost their jobs. Brick holders are selling their stock at Rs 3000, which is more than actual price and minting money, taking advantage of the situation.
Bonded labour of kilns alleged that kiln owners were selling their stock on exorbitant rates and they were not paying 16 percent sales tax but they were collecting tax from the buyers. They also terminated the contracts with the brick making labour leaving them at the mercy of the situation.
Thousands of Brick-kiln owners and labourers continued their protest on Saturday in Multan and other parts of Punjab cities including Faisalabad, Sargodha and Burewala. They organised a big rally at Chowk Naag Shah where thousands of workers and owners of brick kiln attended it. However, they neither observed sit-in nor blocked the road according to their prior announcement. According to the details, the protesters demanded of the government to take up measures to keep their livelihood opportunities intact by abolishing sales tax on bricks.
All Pakistan Bhatta Association organised a protest demonstration on Naag Shah chowk Shershah Bypass Road in Multan against the imposition of 16 percent sales tax on bricks. The demonstrators raised slogans against sales tax and demanded of the government to pay heed to resolve their issues.
The owners and labourers of brick-klin staged a protest demonstration in Multan against brick sales tax. The protesters said the sales tax on bricks would force thousands of families to starve. They staged protest demonstrations against the imposition of sales tax on bricks in Multan, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Jhang, Faisalabad, Sargodha and Burewala as well.