July 10, Sheikhupura (Pakistan) – Rising temperatures in Pakistan are making life increasingly hazardous for workers in brick kilns. Laborers working under intense sunlight and temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius must endure heat radiating both from the blazing furnaces beneath their feet and the scorching sun above. At a brick kiln in Sheikhupura district, workers are seen shoveling coal into small holes at ground level where the fire burns intensely, while thick black smoke billows from the kiln overhead.
Since temperatures inside traditional brick kilns can exceed 1,000 degrees Celsius, continuous monitoring by workers is essential to ensure the bricks are properly fired. Although Pakistan has historically experienced extreme heat, climate change has exacerbated these conditions, making the work even more difficult and perilous.
Abid Hussain, a 35-year-old worker, was fully covered in dust and black smoke emitted from the kiln. He described feeling trapped between the heat rising from below and the sun blazing above. “The heat is extreme, but due to financial pressures at home, I have no choice but to keep working,” he said. Like Hussain, hundreds of thousands are employed in Pakistan’s brick industry, which is marked by weak labor regulations, low wages, and hazardous working conditions. Despite growing demand for bricks driven by rapid construction, daily wages remain very low—approximately three US dollars per day.
Amid blazing sun, dust, and hot winds, workers labor for hours on the kiln surfaces. Saeeda Gulam Fatima, general secretary of the Banned Labour Liberation Front Pakistan, described brick kilns as “prisons” for workers. “Laborers endure relentless heat from above and intense heat from the kiln below,” she explained. Fatima highlighted that workers are caught in a vicious cycle of debt, extreme heat exposure, and deteriorating health.
Sheikhupura is a major hub of Pakistan’s brick kiln industry. According to Climate and Clean Air Coalition data from 2018, more than 18,000 brick kilns operate across Pakistan, employing over one million people. Climate experts identify Pakistan as one of the countries at highest risk from the effects of climate change. Fatima pointed out that many workers, having taken advances on wages and fallen into debt, are unable to abandon their hazardous jobs.
Hussain reported earning roughly 25,000 Pakistani rupees (about 90 US dollars) per month, which only covers basic housing and children’s essentials. “Even if we fall ill or face family issues, we must work,” he said. “Taking time off causes problems at home.” In an effort to reduce air pollution and health risks from brick kilns, the Punjab provincial government is pressing for conversion of traditional kilns to the more efficient “zigzag” technology.
However, Muzib Ullah, a 45-year-old supervisor, noted that maintaining consistent kiln temperatures makes providing long breaks difficult. “Whether it’s extreme heat, cold, or rain, work must continue,” he said. Although drinking water and occasional short rests are provided, the working conditions still require significant improvement. Elsewhere in the kiln, 28-year-old Muhammad Azim was hand-molding bricks by mixing wet soil with wooden molds. Rows of dried bricks attest to the exhausting nature of the work. Reflecting on his hardship, Azim simply said, “Whether the weather is good or bad, work is work. It must be done.”
