HYDERABAD, Oct 5 Wapda employees took out processions in different cities of Sindh on Tuesday in protest against the dissolution of Pepco, creation of four independent power distribution companies and the handing over of other distribution companies to a steering committee headed by the federal minister for water and power.

Processions were taken out on the call of the Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Central Labour Union. In Hyderabad, a protest rally marched from the Labour Hall up to the press club. Addressing the participants, the president of the union, Abdul Latif Nizamani, ridiculed the argument put forth by the federal minister for water and power, Raja Pervez Ashraf, that the circular debt of Pepco had reached Rs400 billion and it was facing an annual deficit of Rs250 billion.

He reminded the minister that when Wapda was divided on the advise of IMF in 1994, similar arguments were advanced but time had proved that the debt of the companies created in and after 1994 had increased manifold. He said the reasons were political interference in Wapda affairs, recruitment of an army of officers in the authority and purchase of luxurious limousines for them.

Mr Nizamani said that the worst sufferers were the consumers who had to experience loadshedding and an ever-increasing electricity tariff.

He said each year 100 employees were killed during the performance of their duties and many others were paralysed for life.

He said once again fresh decisions had been taken under the dictation of IMF without taking the CBA into confidence and warned that if these decisions were not reversed, the workers would march up to Islamabad. If needed, he further said, power supply to entire country would be suspended.

In Larkana, Wapda workers took out a procession after holding a general body at Old Power House. Raising slogans and carrying banners and placards, they marched on the main roads of the city and reached Jinnah Bagh and staged a sit-in there. Members of the unions from all over the district participated in the protest.

Union leaders Nisar Shaikh, Ghazi Khan Lashari and Khalid Chandio criticised the government decision and said that such unpopular decisions would not only increase power tariff but also hit the national economy which was almost stagnant.

They accused the government of abolishing Pepco on the directives of the IMF and the World Bank adding that it would lead to an unending increase in power tariff. With this decision, prices of other items would also register an increase and people would be the ultimate sufferers.

Establishing rental power plants would not help in overcoming electricity shortfall and suggested the government to establish coal-fired power plants instead.

They called for restoration of previous status of Wapda and the area electricity boards.

In Sukkur Wapda workers held a demonstration at National Highway's Babarloi bypass for two hours due to which traffic remained suspended.

Addressing the protesters, their leaders rejected rental power plants and urged the government to rehabilitate closed power plants.

They said privatisation of the KESC proved a failure and vowed to resist privatisation of other distribution companies.

In Nawabshah, Wapda workers took out a procession from Old Power House, Manuabad, and marched up to the local press club. They raised slogans against Wapda devolution plan and rental power projects.

Union leaders Fazal Mohammad Shaikh and Aslam Khanzada said that the minister was taking wrong and hasty decisions results of which would be destructive for the national economy.