ISLAMABAD : Thousands of Wapda Workers held a mass protest and sit-in in front of National Press Club and marched to Parliament House on Wednesday against privatisation.
The protest was held under the aegis of All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union along with Engineers Association and was participated from all the provinces and Federal Capital Area Islamabad. The protestors demanded to the Government to accord high priority to raise cheaper electricity through hydel and coal fired thermal power stations costing only Rs.1.50 and Rs. 7 per unit respectively in comparison with high priced furnace oil thermal power stations costing Rs 18 to 30 per unit and not to privatise national public utility electricity since it is the constitutional obligation of the state to provide cheaper electricity to the people and the industry, commerce and agriculture of the country. It was highlighted by the protestors that the experience of privatisation had already miserably failed in Rawalpindi and Multan private companies since they were not been providing power even in those cities, therefore, those were handed over to Wapda in 1981.