FAISALABAD, Jan 19: Workers held a protest demonstration on Monday against the proposed privatization of Faisalabad Electricity Supply Company (Fesco) and Jamshoro Thermal Power Station.

They were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the government and in favour of their demands. Their leaders said on the occasion that privatization of thermal units would increase the cost of electricity by 250 per cent. The World Bank had been pressing to divide Wapda into 14 corporate entities which would add to the administrative cost. On the contrary, different companies all over the world were being merged to reduce administrative cost, they added.

They demanded that the government should declare Faisalabad a big city alike Rawalpindi and Lahore for the purpose of payment of house rent and conveyance allowances to the workers. The Wapda authorities should restore the efficiency, crew allowance and annual increment of workers as well as recruitment quota for the children of Wapda employees.

They urged the prime minister to order withdrawal of the decision to privatize profit earning units like Faisalabad and Jamshoro. They threatened that they would stage a sit-in in front of parliament house in Islamabad if their demands were not met.