DADU, March 22: Protesters prevented two of their colleagues from committing self-immolation when they were staging a demonstration at the main gate of Zamzama gas field operated by BHP Billiton, oil and gas exploration company, in Johi taluka on Wednesday.

They demanded that the company provide employment to locals and carry out development projects in their area.

The protesters who had come from a number of villages including Dost Mohammad Panhwar, Khan Mohammad and Chhandan were led by Moula Bux Panhwar, Jan Mohammad and Sikandar Panhwar.

The leaders said that the company appointed only outsiders whether the job was for a skilled person or an unskilled one ignoring jobless people in Johi taluka and Dadu or the villages. Hundreds of graduate youths of Dadu district were jobless but the administration of Zamzama field denied them any job, they said.—Correspondent