DADU, Nov 24: The villagers and social workers held a protest demonstration in Mehar on Monday against three multinational oil and gas companies for not proving jobs to the local people.

The protesters were led by Dadu Development Organization chief Abdul Waheed Kalhoro and an elder of the Kamangar clan, Shoukat Kamangar.

Speaking to the demonstrators, Mr Kalhoro said that the BHP, LASMO and ENI Pakistan, working in the western belt of Dadu district, were not providing jobs to the local people at their local camps and fields. He added that the administrations of the companies had appointed people from Punjab, NWFP and Balochistan.

He said that they would launch a campaign against the companies in December and organise a long march from Mehar to Sehwan and demonstrations outside the Bhit Jabal camps of the LASMO and ENI and Johi camp of the BHP.

Mr Kamangar warned that they would occupy air bases of the companies if they did not provide jobs to the local people.

He said that he had invited the political leaders and NGO activists of the area to participate in their struggle.

Later, talking to journalists at Dadu Press Club, Mr Kalhoro said that more than 5,000 graduates and hundreds of engineers, belonging to Dadu district, had contacted the administrations of the companies for jobs but they had not received any response.

He appealed to federal minister for petroleum and natural resources Nouraiz Shakoor and federal minister for industries and production Liaquat Ali Jatoi to ensure the provision of jobs to the local people by the companies.

DEMO: Residents of Workshop Muhalla held a demonstration outside the press club here on Sunday to protest against the Moro police for detaining two persons.

The police had detained Sikandar Panhwar and Ramzan Panhwar.

The protesters were led by councillor Sohail Ahmad, Hajjan Panhwar, Haji Waris and Zahid Hussain.

Talking to the demonstrators, Mr Ahmad said the police in plain clothes had searched houses of Sikandar and Ramzan, broken the furniture and manhandled children and women when they asked for the reason of the raid on their houses.

He said the police had raided the houses without having a search warrant. He alleged the police had also taken away gold ornaments, Rs20,000 cash and other valuables from the houses.

When contacted by telephone, the Moro SHO refused to give details of the raid.