HAFIZABAD
The Wapda employees of Hafizabad Division went on strike as a protest against the proposed privatisation of Water and Power Development Authority.
Led by Abdul Razzaq Mughal, the president, and Shafqat Mehmood, secretary general of the Pakistan Hydro-Electric Union Hafizabad chapter, the protesters took out a rally and raised slogans against the proposed privatisation. The workers pledged that they would not aallow privatisation of Wapda in any case.
On the other side, the local people especially businessmen resented prolonged loadshedding in Hafizabad particularly rural areas up to 18-hour a day.
The loadshedding is causing multiple problems for the masses particularly shopkeepers and daily-wagers. They called upon Gepco authorities to decrease the duration of loadshedding in the area to facilitate them.
PROTEST: Dispensers and Paramedical staff of all the hospitals staged a protest demonstration in the District Complex Hafizabad against allegedly insulting and aggressive attitude of Dr Imtiaz Ahmad, the district manager of Punjab Rural Support Programme.
According to Saqib Ali, a dispenser of BHU Mian Raheeman village, the district manager and his driver hurled abuse on him, insulted and also injured him by hitting his head with a brick. They demanded strict action against the district manager and his driver.
FIRE: A prayers leader in Chhanni Churera was seriously burnt as one-room of a mosque was totally destroyed due to gas explosion.
According to villagers, Mian Ahmad Ali had locked the masjid after Isha Prayers. As he opened the door at Fajar prayer, and ignited a match stick, the gas accumulated in the room caught fire and there was an explosion.
As a result, roof and walls of the room were destroyed. After hearing noise, the villagers rushed to the spot and removed the injured person under the debris. He was later removed to a hospital for medical treatment.