FAISALABAD, Aug 28: Powerloom workers say hours-long outages and increase in the electricity prices are creating financial problems and the sector is on the verge of collapse.

The Labour Qaumi Movement, an association of powerloom workers, Secretary-General Aslam Miraj, Baba Abdul Lateef, Alam Jutt, Rana Tahir and others met here on Wednesday to discuss the current situation the workers and the industry are facing.

They said the rulers were following in the footsteps of the previous government and failed to control electricity loadshedding.

They said the sense of insecurity was increasing among the labourers as factories were facing 15 to 18 hours power outages daily. The situation had left hundreds of workers jobless and rulers instead of providing relief to the sector increased the prices of electricity.

They said a meeting of the LQM divisional office-bearers had been convened today (Thursday) to devise a plan to launch a protest movement against the government.

police boards: Two Standing Boards of police comprising the officers enjoying a good reputation will be formed at district and regional levels to ensure fair investigation of cases.

The boards will be formed on the instructions of Inspector General of Punjab Police Khan Baig.

The IGP has instructed RPO Javeed Islam and Faisalabad CPO Abdul Razzaq Cheema that the government has amended investigation rules and allowed formation of a board at the district level.

A section 18 (a) has been added in the order no 22 of the 2002 rules.

The amendment reads: “The CPO will change the investigation within seven days after consultation with the incumbents of the board. He can transfer investigation to an officer or team of the investigation officers.

An officer of SP rank will be the chairperson of the board and two DSPs will be its members.

Similarly, a Regional Standing Board will also be constituted by the RPO. The board will also be headed by a SP along with two other SPs as its members.

SSP (operations) Ghulam Mubashar Maikkan told Dawn that efforts were on to select the upright officers who would perform duty in the board. He said the officers would also perform their other duties at the police station level.

He said the board would look into the issues if people would complain of faulty investigation.