LAHORE: A large number of power sector workers took to the streets on Wednesday to protest the government’s plan to privatise profitable power generation and distribution companies of the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) “at the behest of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank and at the cost of the poor of Pakistan”.

Gathered under the banner of All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union (CBA) at Labour Hall, the protesters urged the government to focus on controlling inflation that had made the life of the common man miserable instead of selling out national assets.

Carrying banners in support of their demands, the workers marched through adjoining streets shouting slogans like ‘down with inflation, IMF and World Bank’, ‘shun privatisation, drone attacks’, ‘down with feudalism and crony capitalism’ and reached Lakshmi Chowk where they held a demonstration.

According to a resolution passed on the occasion, Lakhra coal thermal power house had been producing electricity at the rate of Rs7 per unit while the production cost by private thermal power houses was between Rs14 and Rs20. The Faisalabad and Islamabad distribution companies had the highest recovery rate.

They urged the government to revamp the Wapda management instead of handing over its control to business tycoons, as they claimed the experiment of privatising the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) had not borne fruit. The government should allocate sufficient resources to build new hydel and thermal powerhouses in the public sector to overcome electricity shortfall.

The resolution stressed on energy conservation by getting markets and commercial centres closed at 8pm and sought security for field staff deployed to detect power theft or recover dues.

Presented by veteran trade union leader Khurshid Ahmed along with Rana Abdul Shakoor, Chaudhry Maqsood , Haji Younus, Zafar Mateen Kamboh, Sajid Kazmi, Chaudhry Shoaib, Sardar Faseeh, Rana Akram, Osama Tariq, Zulqarnain Shah and others, the resolution also sought establishment of special courts to punish those found stealing electricity and gas.

The meeting also urged Wapda and the Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pvt) Limited managements to upgrade pay scales of employees in accordance with the agreement reached with the union.

Addressing the protesters, Khurshid Ahmed urged provincial governments to ensure implementation of labour laws besides provision of social security, old-age benefits, safety and healthcare facilities to workers at all industrial and commercial establishments in accordance with the principles of the International Labour Organisation Convention 81 ratified by Pakistan.

He urged the prime minister to introduce reforms in the power sector for raising its efficiency by appointing a permanent chief executive of distribution companies instead of ad hoc ones.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2014