SUKKUR, Nov 12: Scores of workers belonging to different political parties, social welfare organisations and trade unions held a demonstration and a sit-in outside the main gate of Qadirpur gas field on Wednesday in protest against the field’s privatisation.

They warned that if the government tried to thrust its decision on workers, it would meet strong resistance.

The protesters belonging to Sindh National Front, Sindh United Party, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaaz, Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party, Watan Dost Mazdoor Ittehad and other workers organisations were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the field’s privatisation as they registered protest.

Dr Mehtab Soomro, Sain Dad Khan and Sadiq Leghari said in their speeches at the demonstration that the government, which claimed to provide more employment to people, was instead bent on depriving those who were aleady employed by selling profit-making units like the Qadirpur gas field at throwaway price.

They feared that the new owners of the gas field would sack local people and appoint people of their choice after privatisation, rendering hundreds of locals jobless.

ARREST: Ghotki police claimed to have arrested two dacoits carrying head money of Rs300,000 each after an encounter at Raharki-Mohammadpur link road in the Daharki area late on Tuesday night.

Police said that they cordoned off the area after receiving a tip-off that the dacoits with their gang were hiding in the area. When they saw police closing in on them, they opened fire.

Police returned fire and after exchange of fire for an hour they managed to arrest the two most wanted and hardened dacoits, Essa Chachar and Shahdad Tart.

Their accomplices succeeded in escaping, sources in police said.

Police have claimed to have found a Kalashnikov rifle, a TT pistol and a sizable quantity of bullets in their possession.

The dacoits were wanted by Ghotki police in many cases of heinous crimes including, kidnapping for ransom and highway robbery, the sources said.