A large number of workers belonging to Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union (CBA) held a demonstration in Multan against a proposed government plan to privatise distribution companies (Discos) including Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO).
MEPCO Multan distribution company's labour leaders rejected the IMF's conditions and vowed to resist implementation. The leaders who addressed the workers included Ghulam Rasul Regional Chairman, Chaudhry Muhammad Khalid Zonal President, Chaudhry Younas, Sajjad Baloch, Shakeel baloch, Mehr Altaf and Abdul Samad (Joint Secretary)Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco).
At the call of Pakistan Workers Federation, hundreds of workers observed sit-in in front of Mepco headquarters. Senior officials of the Union Ghulam Rasul Gujjar, Sajjad Baloch, Malik Saeed, Mehr Altaf, Ikram Alvi, Rana Zahid Javed, Chaudhry Khushi Muhammad, Izhar Khan Mukhtar Bukhari, Saleem Gilani, Sheikh Shahid Hussain, Ghulam Dastgir Maitla and Naveed Baloch warned against privatisation of the Wapda and dissolution of MEPCO and threatened to cut power supply for indefinite period.
Besides Multan, protests were held in Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Khanewal, Lodhran, Vehari etc. They warned that electricity supply would be halted if their demands were not met immediately. The labour leaders claimed that privatisation of electricity has proved a failure and one of clear examples is K-Electric Company. The union leaders anticipated that after privatisation, the new management would start massive downsizing. The labour union leaders said that Wapda employees know very well how to safeguard their interests and do not fear about any harsh steps like mass arrests.
Comments
Comments are closed.