June 26, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 21, 1429

HYDERABAD, June 25: A large number of employees of the Jamshoro thermal powerhouse on Wednesday observed a four-hour token strike in protest against a raid by Hesco team on their residential colony on Monday and disconnection of power supply which was later restored.

The All-Pakistan Powerhouses Administration Committee chairman Mohammad Sajan Panhwar accused the powerhouse administration and Hyderabad Electric Supply Company of taking anti-worker steps during the crucial phase of power crisis to fail the government.

He alleged that the mismanagement in the powerhouse had led to faults in Rs50 billion plants and out of four plants, which had the total capacity to produce 880 megawatts electricity, only two were functioning and producing only 310 megawatts.

This spoke volumes for the inefficiency of the management, Mr Panhwar said and warned that if any action was taken against any worker or any incident took place in the powerhouse, the responsibility would rest with the authorities concerned.

He appealed to the Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman, the prime minister and the minister for water and power to order supply of electricity to the colony and also solve other problems of the employees.