DERA ISMAIL KHAN/KOHAT: The members of All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Union held protests in Dera Ismail Khan and Kohat on Monday against killing of Pesco official in Swabi two days ago.

In Dera Ismail Khan, members of the union went on strike and locked offices against the murder of their colleague. The protesters, led by Asmatullah Khan, Javed Khan, Hafiz Rizwan Sambal and Mohammad Ramzan Khan, also held a demonstration against killing of Pesco official Hafiz Kamranullah.

They wore black armbands and took out a rally from Fort Road to Islamia School Chowk. A large number of Pesco officials participated in the rally. They demanded protection of employees and arrest of killers of Hafiz Kamranullah.

The leaders of the protesters said that provincial government should ensure safety of Pesco employees. They said Swabi police should arrest the killers of Kamranullah and punish them as soon as possible so that no one could dare to commit such a crime in future and employees could perform their duty without any fear.

“There will be a strike for three days. If police fail to arrest the killers of Kamranullah with three days, supply of electricity to the entire province will be suspended,” they said.

In Kohat, a protest rally was also held and Pesco employees locked their offices to condemn the murder of their colleague in Swabi.

Provincial chairman of the union, Younas Shah, and president Daud Khan said on the occasion that power tariffs were increased by the government and Pesco employees had nothing to do with it. They said that people could not pay their monthly bills owing to increase in power tariffs.

They criticised the government and district administrations for their failure to protect employees during their official duty time.

The participants of the rally marched from Wapda urban office to Kohat Press Club where their leaders addressed them.

The leaders of the protesting Pesco employees said that they would not perform duty and continue protests unless government and district administrations ensured that such acts would not occur in the future. They said that two days had passed but the killers of the Pesco employee were not arrested.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2024