At least seven people were reportedly injured on Friday as the protesting “non-core” Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) employees and the law enforcers came face to face, once again.
The KESC workers had gathered outside the Karachi Press Club to register their protest against their termination from service and non-payment of salaries for several months but due to the scheduled visits of VVIPs in the city, the police resorted to baton charging and firing tear gas shells to disperse the demonstrators.
The protesters were demanding the implementation of the decisions made at the Sindh Governor’s House on July 26, 2011, after a series of protests against the KESC management’s decision of sacking over 4,000 employees.
As the police tried to control the situation by dispersing the protesters, the already enraged KESC workers – who have been fighting for their jobs for the past year – started hurling stones at police.
The situation turned ugly when the police opened aerial firing to forcibly push the demonstrators back to the club area from Fawara Chowk.
The violence disrupted the law and order situation and caused panic among the residents of the area.
KESC Labour Union Chairman Ikhlaq Khan, who was leading the protesters, said the workers were trying to register a peaceful protest against the non-implementation of the decisions made in July with the intervention of Sindh governor.
He said that peaceful protests would continue until the sacked employees are restored and their salaries released. “The KESC management has already violated various provisions of the July 26 agreement signed at the Governor’s House,” he added.
Later, after a meeting of seven-member delegation of KESC labour union with Governor House high-ups, the protesters dispersed on assurances of resolving the issue.
However, Khan said the next line of action would be announced on Monday if the dispute remains unresolved.
