01 October 2004	Friday	15 Shaban 1425

BADIN, Sept 30: The local officials of the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) have alleged that the strike call given by the Small Traders Organization and the local business community against the Hesco staff has the support of a law-enforcement agency and power thieves.

Talking to Dawn here on Thursday, they said the strike call had been given in retaliation to the objections raised by Hesco against the arrest of its three line superintendents and an in-charge of the grid station on Monday night by the Badin police for no plausible reason.

SDO Hesco Badin, Salahuddin Leghari said that an electric breakdown had occurred in some localities of the town, including offices of a law-enforcement agency, five days ago. Power supply was later restored after the fault was rectified, he added.

The SDO said that Badin police picked up line superintendents Mehfooz Hussain, Shafi Mohammad, and Zulfiqar Jamali besides Sultan Ahmed, in-charge of the grid station Badin, and put them behind bars.

He claimed that police also tortured and harassed the Hesco officials. Mr Leghari said a written complaint was sent to the district police officer (DPO) for registration of an FIR against police atrocities, but no action had been taken in this regard. A committee had been constituted by the DPO to investigate the matter, he added.

He alleged that Tuesday's rally staged against Hesco on the pretext of issuing detection bills and power breakdowns had the support of the Badin police as many policemen in plainclothes also took part in the protest.

The SDO alleged that some rally participants also tried to enter the Hesco office and smashed windowpanes glass-door but police did not try to stop them. The SDO said that in view of the police apathy, he called army for protection as the staff was feeling insecure.

Meanwhile, superintending engineer (circle-II) Hyderabad and the vice-chairman of the Pakistan Wapda Hydro-Electric Central Labour Union arrived here on Wednesday. They also met DCO Badin Mumtaz Ali Shah who had called a meeting on Monday.

Meanwhile, Hesco union leaders have warned that if an FIR was not registered against the SHO Badin they would disconnect power supply to all police stations in the district and later extend their campaign to other parts of the country.