KESC protest day 3: Deadlock on sackings as talks continue today

Committees of the federal and provincial representatives will meet KESC again today at Chief Minister House.

KARACHI: As the sacked workers of the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) kept up their protest for a third day, talks between management and the government reached a deadlock on Saturday.

The committees of the federal and provincial representatives will meet KESC again today, Sunday at 3pm at Chief Minister House.

The committees also heard out the trade unionists, including Labour Union (CBA) president Usman Baloch and general secretary Haji Shahzad and Peoples Workers Union (PWU) general secretary Lateef Mughal. Mughal said that they had a one-point agenda: reinstate the sacked workers unconditionally.

Sources in the Sindh government told The Express Tribune that KESC was asked to present the documents on privatization to prove that it has followed the agreement. In particular, the focus is falling on the service rules and procedures for firing workers.

The chief minister formed a nine-member committee with minister for power Shazia Marri, Katchi Abadis Minister Rafique Engineer, special assistant Waqar Mehdi, Rashid Rabbani, members from the coalition partner, health minister Sagheer Ahmed, adviser Khwaja Izharul Hassan, Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan, MPA Khalid Iftikhar and labour minister Ameer Nawab.

KESC’s 10-member committee consists of CEO Tabish Gauhar, Brig. (ret’d) Mazharul Haq, chief finance officer Tayyab Tareen, Ghufran Ata Khan, head of HR Asir Manzoor, Nayyar Hussain, Zulfiqar Ali, Dr Naveed, and the CEO’s special assistant Osama Qureshi.

The utility’s longest ever protest compelled leaders of political parties to show solidarity with the sacked workers. “The KESC MD should know that the elected government of the PPP would not hesitate to take any extreme measures,” commented Fisheries Minister Haji Muzaffar Ali Shujra, adding that the PPP had been opposed to the privatization in the first place.

The politicians, elected representatives, ministers and party spokespersons started visiting the workers in front of the Gizri headquarters from Friday. Some of them who came and made speeches were Pakistan Muslim League-F MPA and adviser Imtiaz Shaikh, Awami National Party’s Shahi Sayd, Pakistan Muslim League-Q’s Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Mushahid Hussain Syed.

KESC’s operations

The functional operations of the KESC are being severely affected as a result of disruptions caused by “certain destructive elements that are obstructing the smooth functioning of the power utility”, said a company press release.

KESC employees attending electricity faults in the city are being beaten up by these miscreants. “Many areas in the city are facing prolonged power outages since our employees are unable to attend to the faults.”

with additional input by PPI

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2011.