Scores of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (ODGCL) employees in Dera Ghazi Khan on Friday protested against police action against their colleagues in Islamabad.
Employees Union Secretary General Tabassum Tauqeer Qasrani led the protest.
The protesters boycotted work and marched to Dhodak plant where they chanted slogans against the government.
“Our colleagues were protesting against proposed privatisation of the ODGCL,” he said.
“Police resorted to baton charge and threw tear gas at 300 workers,” he said.
He said privatisation of the ODGCL would be opposed at all forums.
“We will continue to protest until the government clarifies its intentions about the future of the organisation,” he said.
He said the ODGCL was one of the most profitable public sector corporations. He said the country earned Rs200 billion through the ODGCL.
“Privatising a profitable organisation would be tantamount to robbing millions of Pakistanis,” he said.
State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab on Friday informed the National Assembly that the government had no plan to privatise the OGDCL.
He assured the parliament that no employee would be laid off.
He accused some OGDCL employees of unlawful assembly in the capital and injuring a deputy superintendent of police (DSP).
Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2014.
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