Anti-privatisation: WAPDA workers protest in defiance

Say they will not let govt institutions be privatised at any cost.

NOWSHERA/ PESHAWAR: Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) employees in Peshawar and Nowshera took to the streets on Wednesday against the proposed privatisation of government institutions.

Members of All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union in the provincial capital gathered outside Peshawar Press Club and shouted slogans against the federal government.

The union’s central chairman Gohar Taj, provincial chairman Haji Muhammad Iqbal and other office bearers also attended the gathering. A delegation of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited workers also participated in the protest.

Speaking on the occasion, workers said they would not allow government institutions to be privatised at any cost.

“The government should cancel plans to privatise these institutions as billions of rupees are generated through them every year,” Taj said.

He added workers would not allow government institutions to be sold at throwaway prices at the behest of international organisations.

Protesters urged the federal government to introduce a series of reforms against the privatisation. Furthermore, they insisted all distribution units should be merged with Wapda.

Nowshera

Wapda employees also held a protest against the privatisation of the department in Nowshera subdivision.

The protest was organised under the directives of central leaders of Wapda’s labour union who had earlier instructed employees to hold weekly protests against plans to privatise the company.

Protesters said they were willing to render sacrifices against the proposed move.

According to protesters, Wapda officials will take to the streets every Wednesday until the government pays attention to their grievances and reverses its decision.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2015.