HYDERABAD, Feb 6: The Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Central Labour Union has criticized the government for privatizing the Karachi Electric Supply Company.
In a joint statement issued here on Sunday, union leaders Abdul Latif Nizamani, Iqbal Qaimkhani, Miran Khan Baloch, Azam Khan and others alleged that the government had hit the very integrity of the country by selling the KESC.
They said the KESC was a sensitive organization because it provided power supply to the atomic power plant, air force, army, navy and other defence-related services and installations. They claimed that privacy could not be maintained now.
They termed a statement of Privatization Minister Senator Abdul Hafeez Shaikh that rates of electricity would decrease a pack of lies and said he had attempted to misguide people.
They said after increasing petroleum products, the recent rise in prices of CNG and gas would deal a severe blow to the poor.
The union leaders observed that companies that had been privatized continued to incur losses while joblessness was increasing and the gulf between the rich and the poor was widening. They claimed that 44 per cent of the population in the country was living below the poverty line. They criticized policies of the World Bank and the IMF.
The union leaders demanded that the president and the prime minister should revoke the privatization deal of the KESC. They said the country's economy largely depended on Karachi and handing over the electricity network to foreigners would lead to an unprecedented increase in power tariff. They said it would badly affect business activities.
They called for stability in prices of petroleum products at least for six months so that price hike could be controlled.
They urged political, social and religious organizations, lawyers, students and labourers to force the government to rescind the decision.
HCCI: Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mehmood Ahmad and senior vice-president Mohammad Akram Ansari have described the eight per cent rise in the price of gas harmful for the country's exports because it would increase the cost of production.
In a joint statement issued here on Sunday, they apprehended that export targets would be affected. They said instead of increasing prices of gas, the gas company should control its expenses.
STPP: Sindh Tarraqi Pasand Party information secretary Nand Lal Malhi in a statement on Sunday criticized the increase in prices of gas and petroleum products and said it would badly affect the common man. He said with the rise in petrol and gas, prices of edibles and other commodities would also increase.
He said the rulers had no right to remain in power because they had failed to control price hike and provide relief to people.