ISLAMABAD, Feb 3: Federal Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Ali Jatoi on Thursday said no employee of Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) would be terminated even after its privatization.

Inaugurating the Chief Executive Complaint and Monitoring Cell at Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) headquarters, the minister said that all companies of Wapda would become autonomous after privatization, but no employee would be removed from service.

He said Wapda employees should not pay attention to 'any propaganda' about the privatisation of Wapda and power distribution companies. Mr Jatoi said the basic objective of privatization was to improve performance of government institutions.

He said the employees of companies having better financial position would enjoy more incentives and facilities. "Therefore every employee will work with professional responsibility," he said.

The minister urged the heads of all companies of Wapda to maintain financial discipline in their respective organizations. Talking about the problem of line losses, the minister directed Iesco chief to cut the percentage of line losses in Chakwal circle.

The minister inspected the complaint and monitoring cell and urged the company's high-ups to deal with pending complaints as early as possible. Earlier, the Chief Executive of Iesco, Brigadier Shahbaz Azam, briefed the minister about the working of the company.

He said the company had formed anti-theft teams to check power stealing specially by hotels, marriage halls and rest houses. Brigadier Azam said four separate desks, established in Iesco's headquarters for the four circles of the company, would work directly under his supervision.