Protesting workers lock SEPCO offices in Sukkur, other cities

SUKKUR: The All Pakistan Wapda-Hydro Electric Central Labour Union of the Sukkur Electric Power Company (SEPCO) on Monday embarked on its protest by locking SEPCO offices in Sukkur, Larkana, Kamber Shahdadkot, Khairpur and some other areas against the proposed privatization of Wapda.
Hundreds of members of the All Pakistan Wapda-Hydro Electric Central Labour Union (PWHECLU) in Larkana, while responding to the protest call, took out a rally and staged a sit-in at the Jinnah Bagh Chawk against the proposed privatization of the power-generating companies of Wapda.
Speaking on the occasion, the Larkana region chairman of the labour union, Nisar Shaikh, and other office-bearers, Khalid Chandio, Abdullah Soomro, Hashim Gaad and Mehmood Pathan, strongly condemned privatization and rejected government’s policies which they alleged meant to destabilize Wapda and create uncertainty among its employees.
They said that they would continue boycotting their duties pertaining to reading of meters, billings and other such tasks until their demands were met.
They alleged that the government had been taking dictations from the IMF which would paralyze Wapda and power-generating companies. They warned the government that if it did not hold talks with the leaders of the CBA union, they would expand the sphere of their protest.
They demanded of the federal government to withdraw the proposed plan of privatization of Wapda and stop pursuing anti-employee policies. They also appealed to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to take notice of the matter and save Wapda and its assets.