ISLAMABAD: The employees of the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) on Tuesday did not allow a delegation of the Privatisation Commission to enter the premises of the distribution company.

They were protesting against the proposed privatisation of the company.

The employees closed the main gates of the office forcing the delegation, including investors and consultants, to return without holding a meeting on the privatisation.

Later, the Iesco union leaders warned to cut the electricity supply of the twin cities for an indefinite period.

Manzoor Shah, the secretary information of the employees union, told Dawn that if the government did not withdraw the privatisation plan, the employees would disrupt the electricity supply to the twin cities.

“We will go to any extent to get the privatisation plan reversed because we are against the sale of government assets.”

He said a strike was observed against the plan in 136 Iesco offices in five districts.

“We have been protesting because the government wants to hand over Iesco to some influential personality at a throwaway price just like it sold out a bank in the past,” he alleged.

“The government is creating an artificial shortage of electricity to make ground for the privatisation of the company.” He added that the country needed 16,600 MWs but the government was deliberately producing less electricity.

Mr Shah said some housing schemes were directly receiving electricity from power houses without any break at a rate of Rs12.50 per unit.

They then sell the electricity at the rate of Rs28 per unit.

On the other hand, citizens get electricity at the rate of Rs22 per unit.

The officers concerned of Iesco could not be contacted for comments as their mobile phones remained powered off.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2015

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