ISLAMABAD: Thousands of Wapda workers from all over the country gathered outside the National Press Club on Wednesday to stage a sit-in against the proposed privatisation of power distribution companies The protest sit-in was organised by the All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union which had the support of Engineers Association.

Addressing on the occasion, the speakers asked the government to desist from privatizing the companies otherwise the protest movement would be extended to the whole country and would be left with no option but to resort to major power breakdown.

The government plans to privatise Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco), Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) and Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco).

A union leader told this reporter that the government had started the process to hire consultancy services for the privatisation plan which could be extended to other distribution companies.

He said Federal minister Khawja Asif and some other government functionaries had contacted the top union leaders to get the protest movement cancelled but the union leaders refused.

They have invited the union leaders for a meeting on Thursday to discuss the issue.

“If the government holds meaningful talks with employees, we will call off the protest movement, otherwise we will be compelled to launch a country wide protest and in the first phase observe a protest day all over the country on February 6,” he said.

Instead of privatising the companies, the government should generate cheaper electricity through hydel and coal fired thermal power plants, which would cost the consumers only Rs1.50 and Rs 7 per unit in comparison to high priced furnace oil thermal power stations which would cost Rs18 to Rs30 per unit, the speakers said.

It is the constitutional responsibility of the state to provide cheaper electricity to the citizens, industry, commerce and agriculture sectors.

They also urged the government to learn lessons from the privatisation of Karachi Electric Supply Company which despite receiving billions of rupees as subsidy could not deliver goods.

The workers were carrying banners and chanting slogans against the proposed privatisation, World Bank and IMF. Veteran trade union leader Khurshid Ahmed presided over the sit-in.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2015

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