Power workers hold rally in Lahore for raise in wages, pensions

LAHORE: Thousands of electricity/Wapda workers held a rally on Monday under Lesco Workers Union before Bakhtiar Labour Hall to demand raise in wages and pensions of workers employed in government, semi-government, industrial and commercial sector, banks and media by 30pc and prevent tragic accidents of line staff due to serious shortage of staff.

The quantum of work is increasing day by day and line staff is not being hired because there is a ban on recruitment for more than five years, they said and called upon the Prime Minister to intervene to halt proposed privatisation of the profitable electricity distribution companies on the behest of IMF. The privatisation of Karachi Electricity Supply Company had already failed miserably and this was acknowledged by the Supreme Court, they said in the rally.

The workers were carrying national flags and banners in support of their demands. The rally was addressed by veteran trade union leader Khurshid Ahmad along with Muhammad Abdul Latif Nizamani, Muhammad Ramzan Achakzai, Haji Iqbal Khan, Haji Muhammad Younis, Rana Abdul Shakoor, Malik Zahoor, Osama Tariq, Nosher Khan and others.

They demanded the PM develop cheaper source of energy including hydel and gas thermal power instead of relying on high cost IPPs.