ISLAMABAD, May 25: Thousands of Pakistan Telecommunication Company workers stormed the company’s headquarters here on Wednesday, threatening to jam the telecom system if the PTCL privatization plan was not put off before June 6. The workers, protesting against the company’s privatization scheduled for June 10, had come from across the country.

The occupation of the PTCL headquarters in Sector G-8 by, what union leaders estimated, about 10,000 workers came after five days of symbolic protest of three hours daily.

The occupation continued till late in the evening with the union leaders saying that they would not vacate the building until their demand of postponing the company’s privatization was met.

The secretary-general of PTCL Employees Union, Rana Tahir, told Dawn that the union was in constant contact with the management but there was no sign of a change.

The protesters chanted slogans like “Stop privatization of PTCL” and “We are one”, while contingents of police and personnel of law-enforcement agencies in plainclothes stood by the building. Police have also been deployed at various entry points to the federal capital including Zero Point.

Union leaders said the workers broke the lock at the main gate of the PTCL headquarters building at about 2pm after getting no positive response from the management. Seven of the workers were injured in the process, they added.

Mr Tahir said police had stopped 20 buses carrying PTCL workers from NWFP from crossing the Attock bridge.

The workers were of the view that privatization of the PTCL was a conspiracy as the company was a national asset and one of the most profitable organizations of the country.

The workers also demanded increase in their pays and other benefits.