LAHORE: The wapda employees, under the ages of All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union, have to observe October 7 as protest day against the proposed privatisation of the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco).
Union secretary-general Khurshid Ahmed said, in a press statement, the privatization of the most profitable power distribution company would be against the public interest, urging all political parties, patriotic forces and civil society to support the struggle of the working class in the larger public interest.
He said the Senate and the Committee of National Assembly on Water and Power had already opposed privatisation of profitable corporatised companies of electricity in its earlier meetings. He claimed the privatisation of electricity had already failed miserably in Rawalpindi, Multan and Karachi.
He said the privatisation of electricity would be against the public interest since it was the basic need of citizens. “If the government can run the metro bus in the public sector then why the basic need of citizens like electricity cannot be managed in the public sector, he questioned.
He said the finance minister had already declared that the Privatisation Commission had falsely priced more than Rs33 million for Pakistan Steels Mills assets to benefit the bidders.
“Why the government has not sought approval from the Senate and the NA for pricing the high valued grid stations, distribution electricity lines, high cost buildings and precious equipment with due diligence before making decision of selling its assets.”
