FAISALABAD: All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union activists staged a demonstration at the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) headquarters on Friday in protest at the transfer of two company officers to Sukkur.

They alleged the transfers were made to punish the officers for checking alleged power theft at a foundry of PML-N MPA Tahir Jameel.

The MPA denied the charges and told Dawn transfers were the internal issue of Fesco. He added transfers might be reward for their outstanding performance.

Union activists told Dawn Fesco Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rasheed Ahmed Aslam and Executive Engineer (EXEN) Rao Muhammad Ali had been transferred to Sukkur after the raid at the foundry. The MPA denied that his mill was ever raided.

Though the raiders did not find theft at the factory, as a meter was installed there, they noticed the unit was on defaulter list of Fesco and a meter could not be installed without a reconnection order (RCO).

Mian Abdul Rasheed, central vice-president of the union, told Dawn that until the cancellation of the orders, the union would continue the protest.

He said the officer who had got installed the meter without the RCO, which is mandatory to supply connection to any defaulter premises, had been charge-sheeted and would face departmental inquiry.

Sources said Fesco officials had gone to the residence of the MPA to clear their position but in vain. A news channel had aired the news of power theft at the mills.

The MPA said the meter of the factory had been installed after fulfilling legal formalities.

“Parliamentarians go to different parts of the country for the welfare of the public. Why officers are hesitating to serve out of Faisalabad?” he asked.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play