Mepco workers staged rally against proposed privatisation of distribution companies, appointment of non-professionals as chief executives and withdrawal of facility of free electricity for employees, here on Friday. The rally, which was organised by Pakistan Wapda Hydro-Electrical Central Labour Union, started from Bakhtiar Memorial Hall Mepco Headquarters and terminated at Mepco Headquarters.
Holding placards, banners and flags the participants marched through Khanewal Road. A large number of Wapda workers riding their vehicles joined the rally. Wapda engineers also participated in the rally to express solidarity with the subordinate staff. The protesters carried out non-stop sloganeering against the government.
Addressing the rally, Hydro Union leaders including Ghulam Rasul Gujjar, Malik Saeed Ahmed, Chaudhry Muhammad Khalid, Malik Shaukat Ali, Ikram Alvi, Raja Ishtiaq Kiyani, Sajjad Ahmed Baloch and others said Wapda used to earn profit worth Rs 10 billion per annum when professionals headed it. Now it suffers a loss of Rs 300 billion per annum because of the appointment of non-professionals and army generals as its head. They said government evolves policies on dictation from IMF, which has destroyed Wapda completely.
They added that Wapda is being privatised under the guise of loss, which was highly condemnable. They warned that the workers would let no one privatise Wapda as thousands of their fellows had sacrificed their lives to establish this network. They pointed out that appointment of ineligible, non-professional and blue-eyed persons as the heads of distribution companies delivered serious harm to Wapda. They urged chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to take notice of government intentions to privatise this strategic asset and issue order for halting this process.
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