MARDAN: The Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union members held protest demonstrations in various cities on Thursday against the proposed privatisation of Wapda.

In Mardan, the protesting employees held a rally and blocked a road for several hours.

The protesters led by union circle chairman Haji Amjid and divisional chairman Muslim Khan chanted slogans against the rulers for planning to privatise Wapda.

They alleged that the rulers had planned to loot the national exchequer through privatisation of government institutions at throwaway prices to their blue-eyed persons and groups.

They urged the government to take back the decision of privatisation of Wapda, otherwise they would not only launch a complete strike and boycott their offices, but would also stage a sit-in front of the parliament in Islamabad till fulfillment of their demands.

They warned that they would also suspend supply of electricity to the whole country if their demand was not taken seriously by the rulers.

They criticised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his policy of privatising profit-earning institutions.

In Kohat, the Wapda union workers accused the government of distributing profit generating projects like LNG, Metro and Orange train among relatives.

Addressing a gathering of workers, divisional president of the hydro electric union, Younis Shah, criticised the gradual privatisation of Wapda’s distribution companies and giving them on contract which would lead to lay-offs.

The Pesco offices and complaint cells remained closed here as protest by the Wapda employees continued on Thursday.

The employees took out a rally from the Happy Valley and blocked the Kohat (Junglekhel)-Peshawar road where it was addressed by its leaders.

The speakers asked the opposition and people to understand the alleged modus operandi of the present rulers who had been putting contracts of wealthy projects in the lap of the blue-eyed persons and then allowing them to earn huge profits.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2015