HYDERABAD, Feb 11: Hesco employees marched from the Gari Khata Labour Hall to the press club here on Wednesday to protest against company officials and forced retirement and dismissal of workers.

Led by Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Labour Union president Abdul Latif Nizamani, Sindh union secretary Iqbal Kaimkhani, Malik Sultan, Qazi Saleem Anwar, Azam Khan and other union leaders, the employees also protested against the proposed privatization of Jamshoro and Faisalabad power houses, unemployment, price hike, Presidential Ordinance, 2000, and the Industrial Relations Ordinance, 2002.

The protesters carried banners and placards and raised slogans for their demands and against the Hesco officials. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Nizamani said the privatization of the power sector would inflict a telling blow on the country's economy as power rates would increase.

He said the privatization would also lead to unemployment. He accused the Hesco officials of stealing electricity and blaming the employees for their corrupt practices.

He said the Hesco employees were being sacked and sent on forced retirement for no fault of theirs. Mr Nizamani demanded that the employment quota of Wapda workers, TA/DA, selection grade and move-over should be restored which had been withdrawn under the IRO-2002.

He further demanded that an inquiry should be ordered into assets of corrupt officials. He warned that the employees would stop power supply to the whole country if excesses against them were not stopped.