Permanent Jobs: OGDCL chief besieged by upset workers

HYDERABAD: Scores of upset third-party contract workers besieged the Kunar-Pasakhi gas field in Tandojam and prevented Basharat Mirza, the chairman of the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), from leaving till at least Thursday midnight. The protest started at around 10:30 am with about 100 workers from Kunar-Pasaki. They lay in wait for the chairman, who told them before entering the premises, that it was not in his hands to meet their demand for permanent jobs. By evening, when Mirza tried to leave, their numbers had swelled to 300, supplemented by workers from Tando Alam Marri gas field and others nearby. Hyderabad SSP Syed Asad Raza Shah came to negotiate at 10:30 pm amid threats of baton charge. Mirza was stuck till this report was filed.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2012.