April 16, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 9, 1429

QUETTA, April 15: Wapda employees have urged the government to take action against bomb disposal officials whose negligence cost the life of one of their colleagues and said that they cannot perform their duties without adequate protection.

A Wapda worker repairing a damaged power pylon was killed when a landmine exploded on Monday. The bomb disposal squad had certified that the damaged pylon was clear of explosives.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, chairman of the Balochistan chapter of the Pakistan Wapda Employees’ Pegham Union Agha Sultan Shah said that the union had repeatedly reminded the government and the Qesco administration that the government was responsible for providing protection to Wapda employees.

Mr Shah said that the workers would not risk their lives unless concrete steps were taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

Meanwhile, Agha Mohammad Nasir, a teacher of the Balochistan University’s Urdu department, went on a hunger strike for an indefinite period to press for the demand for reinstatement of two sacked teachers, including himself, and repeal of the University Model Ordinance and revival of the University Act of 1996.