WAPDA employees Wednesday staged a protest demonstration against the proposed privatisation of the thermal power stations and warned of a protest movement if the decision is not revised. The protestors led by Pakistan WAPDA Hydro Electric Central Labour Union (CBA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chairman Gohar Taj, Mohammad Iqbal, Deputy Secretary Ali Saeed along with dozens of other protesting employees gathered on main Sher Shah Soori road outside Peshawar Press Club. The protesting employees were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands and against the privatisation.
Addressing the protesters on the occasion, CBA leaders said that the gas and coal thermal power stations were producing electricity at Rs 5 per unit, but the government was planning to sale out thermal stations on behest of International financial institutions which will raise the prices to Rs. 23 per unit for the consumers.
They asked the government to stop pushing the country towards bankruptcy and to immediately revise the decision, adding “we will not tolerate economic genocide of the thousand of poverty stricken workers at the cost of foreign policies.” The infuriated protesters suggested that government should merge all power distribution companies into WAPDA and stop selling out national institutes and assets.
They also called for establishment of new hydle power stations and gas and coal thermal power-houses to produce cheap electricity for a long time instead of relying on rental and private power houses in the country. These steps would be helpful in overcoming the present energy crisis across the country, they added. They demanded of the government to amend the Electricity Act-1910 to control power theft and kunda culture, otherwise the power supply would be stopped in the country.
