RAWALPINDI: The employees of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) on Tuesday held a protest rally against the proposed privatisation of power companies.

On the call of All-Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union (CBA), the workers brought out the rally from Rawalpindi Press Club at Liaquat Bagh and marched to the Iesco Complex at Marrir Hassan. The protest, which lasted for more than two hours, was attended by thousands of Iesco employees from Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Islamabad and Rawalpindi. During the rally, traffic gridlock was witnessed on Murree Road.

The participants were chanting slogans against the proposed privatisation of power companies, increasing accidents during work due to shortage of staff, failure to start new recruitments, meter reading and long-distance transfers of line staff and other problems by employees such as rising inflation and unemployment and skyrocketing prices of petroleum products.

The protesters were holding red and black flags, placards and banners inscribed with slogans against privatisation and in favour of their demands.

Addressing the protesters in front of the Iesco Complex, Regional Chairman Javed Iqbal Baloch demanded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seriously review the handing over of profitable power companies like Iesco to the private sector on the instructions of international financial institutions and withdraw the decision of privatisation.

He said that Iesco was the number one company in Pakistan, its line losses are the lowest and it does not take a single penny of subsidy from the government. Despite the shortage of staff and work pressure, its workers are risking their lives day and night in the most difficult places to serve the customers in the best possible way.

Other speakers demanded that new recruitment be made immediately to fill the vacant posts in Iesco.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2026