LAHORE: Electricity workers staged a rally on Friday under the aegis of the All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union against inflation and rising poverty and unemployment

Carrying national flags and banners in support of their demands, the workers urged the government to reduce prices of essential commodities of daily use, including petrol, diesel, gas and electricity.

The power workers demanded the government check rising high prices of items of daily use for the ease of the common people. They urged the federal finance minister to impose taxes on the feudal lords and elite of the country instead of wage earners.

They also protested the rising number of accidents of line staff due to staff shortage and no new recruitments for last six years.

They flayed the authorities for the tragic accidents in which three members of line staff died in one day at Narowal, Rawalpindi and Talagang.

The rally was addressed by Khurshid Ahmad, the general secretary of the All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union, Haji Younas, Osma Tariq, Nosher Khan, Rana Shakoor, Haji Liaqat, Malik Zahid, Liaqat Ali Gujjar and other representatives of the union.

The activists of Awami Rickshaw Union also held a protest against the hike in petrol price and the conditions imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at Thokar Niaz Beg.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2022