HYDERABAD: A sacked worker climbed up a tall tree outside the press club on Friday and threatened to commit self-immolation in protest against dismissal from service but he was saved by a number of onlookers, policemen and journalists who convinced him not to end his life.

After Ghulam Mustafa Qambrani finally climbed down from the tree and threw down the bottle of petrol, he told journalists that he had worked at a multinational tooth paste manufacturing firm in Kotri for nine years and sacked a year back without giving any reason.

He said that he kept protesting outside the press clubs in Jamshoro and Hyderabad, demanding reinstatement of his job but to no avail.

Three fire tenders were also called to save him with the help of snorkels in case he went ahead with his plan. But to everyone’s relief, he was finally dissuaded from the extreme step and climbed down safely.

He said that he was poor but hard working, he appealed to managers of the firm to reinstate him but they refused to do so.

After remaining jobless for an entire year, he had become so fed up with life that he came to commit self-immolation but luckily he saved, he said.

Qambrani is a resident of Kotri Bhittai Colony and has two wives but no child.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2016