LAHORE/HYDERABAD: Thousands of Wapda workers, under the aegis of All Pakistan Hydroelectric Workers Union (CBA), have protested across the country against privatisation of Wapda, the government’s policy of power outages and rising prices of electricity.
The protesters demanded the government to adopt the policies for generation of cheaper electricity through hydel, gas and coal-fired thermal power stations in public sector. They also urged the government to introduce administrative reforms to raise productivity of electricity power wing instead of keeping the electricity state owned companies under the control of the private members of board of directors.
The protesting workers assembled at the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) headquarters. Hesco Officers Association leaders and members also joined the protest.
Hundreds of the workers along with their officers took out rallies from their respective towns and reached Sukkur to assemble at Sepco headquarters to hold a noisy demonstration against moves to privatise power utility organisations.
Employees of the Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco) locked their workplaces at Sukkur, old Sukkur, Rohri, Pannu Aqil, Salehpat, Gambat, Setharja, Piryaloi, Pir Jo Goth, Ranipur, Kotdiji, Khairpur, Luqman, Ghotki, Khanpur Mahar, Mirpur Mathelo, Daharki, Ubauro and other towns to join in the demonstration, which continued throughout the day.
In Larkana, protesting workers pitched a camp in the old power house, where labour leaders spoke to them and vowed to resist all moves to privatise power utilities.
