FAISALABAD: Brick kiln owners will go on a one-week strike from Friday (today) against what they said extortion demanded allegedly by the Labour Qaumi Movement (LQM).

On the contrary, the movement ofHce-bearers rejected thecharges of extortion and announced a protest demonstration outside the DCO office on Friday against the kiln owners for not giving fixed wages to workers.

Talking to Dawn, Abdul Razzaq, president of the kiln owners association, said the LQM office-bearers had nothing to do with the kiln industry and they had been instigating labourers in the name of their rights.

He said the LQM people were doing so only to pressurise the kiln owners for extortion.

Clarifying the extortion demand, he said LQM men incited workers against the own-ers. `When the entire labour leaves the job, then LQM people contact us for solution to the problem.

He alleged that the LQM had been worl(ing on the agenda of some foreign NGOs (he did not disclose the names of NGOs) and wanted to create disturbance.

He said the situation at each and every kiln had been peaceful for the last two years. `However, it is going from bad to worse owing to lethargy of the district government officials who failed to curb illegal activities of LQM leaders.

Razzaq said the LQM had been demanding Rs 962 per 1,000bricks fixed by the government.

`Considering the wages contrary to the ground realities, we have challenged the matter in the court and the case is yet to be decided.

Till decision on the case, LQM can`t press kiln owners.

LQM office-bearer Abuzar Ghafari rejected the extortion charges and said they had been struggling only for the rights of the kiln workers. He said kiln owners had time and again alleged that LQM people demanded extortion, however, they failed to prove the allegation at any forum.

He said the government had fixed wages for the workersthrough a notification and the district administration seemed to be least interested in implementing the decision.

When contacted DCO Noorul Ameen told Dawn that the government had notified the rates and the district government was trying to enforce the same.

He said: `We are in touch with the workers especially in case of any kind of highhandedness by owners and have been taking stern action.

The DCO said FIRs had been registered against the kiln owners for not paying fixed wages, and against workers who opted for violent means.