Workers protest against inflation, electricity theft

LAHORE: Electricity/Wapda workers held a protest rally Thursday under the aegis of All-Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union against price-hike of essential commodities.

They demanded the government prevent electricity theft by providing security to electricity field staff during the performance of their duties. There are 48,000 FIRs on record for electricity theft but no accused has been punished so far, they said. The workers highlighted that the rising electricity tariff could be checked if the government prevented electricity theft. The workers were carrying national flags and banners in support of their demands. The workers in a resolution urged the prime minister and policy makers not to privatise profitable electricity companies at the behest of IMF. They said the experience of privatisation of Private Independent Power Houses and Karachi Electricity Company and Private Companies of Multan and Rawalpindi had already failed. They demanded the prime minister and federal energy minister intervene and check tragic accidents of the electricity field staff who are doing overwork in the absence of new recruitment for the last six years. The workers announced that they would be compelled to march towards Islamabad in case their demands were not accepted.

The rally was led by veteran Trade Union Leader Khurshid Ahmad, Abdul Latif Nizamani President (Sindh), Haji Ramzan Achakzai (Balochistan), Haji Iqbal Khan (KP), Javed Baloch (Islamabad), Sarfraz Hundal (Faisalabad), Ch Ghulam Rasool (Multan), Haji Younas, Osama Tariq, Rana Shakoor, Muzaffar Mateen and others.