Show of power: Workers protest privatisation of power companies

Nizamani argued that privatisation will lead to expensive electricity, more outages and downsizing.

HYDERABAD:

Thousands of workers from the power sector boycotted work and put padlocks on their offices to protest the privatisation of electricity-generation and distribution companies. The strike call was given by All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union.

"Today, the workers have given their verdict and they will not let the government sell these companies," said Abdul Lateef Nizamani, the central president of the union, while addressing the sit-in in Hyderabad.

Nizamani argued that the privatisation will lead to expensive electricity, more power outages and a massive downsizing of the workforce. "Refusing gas supply to the state-owned power companies clearly shows the government's intentions." He complained that the government is deliberately buying expensive electricity from the private sector.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2014.