HYDERABAD: Employees of the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) and the Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco) took out rallies and held demonstrations in several Sindh towns on Thursday in protest against government plans to privatise distribution companies (Discos) of Wapda.

The call for countrywide protest was given by the All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union.

In Hyderabad, the union leaders and activists took out a big rally which culminated in a demonstration at the press club where they appealed to the government `to roll back its privatisation policy and free Wapda from the bondage of International Monetary Fund and World Bank`.

The union`s central president Abdul Latif Nizamani said the government should provide cheap power to consumers, end loadshedding, abolish contract system, open closed powerhouses and end political interference in Wapda.

He also called for implementation of son`s quota in jobs and award of bonus to the employees of Hesco and Sepco.

In Sukkur, Jacobabad, Old Sukkur, Rohri, Salehpat, Pano Akil and other towns, Sepcoemployees observed strike after putting locks on their offices.

In Jacobabad, the protesting workers held a demonstration wearing black armbands after putting locks on all Sepco offices and workshops.

The union leaders said the privatisation of Discos would render thousands of people jobless.

They would never accept the decision and strongly resist it, they warned.

In Sukkur, the Sepco employees gathered at Mohammad Bin Qasim Park after putting locks on offices where the union leaders said that the government was imposing IMF`s policies on the country. Instead of privatising national institutions the government should bring improvements in the system, they said.

In Mirpurlchas, hundreds of workers and office-bearers of the union took out a rally and held a demonstration outside the press club, blocl
Addressing the protesters, the union leaders strongly condemned the federal government`s policy on privatisation of Discos and warned the workers would never accept the privatisation.

They said that they would oppose the government policy tooth and nail and suspend power supply to the country if the government did not withdraw its anti-worker decision.

In Khairpur, a large number of Sepco employ-ees took out a rally in the town against planned privatisation of Discos.

Addressing the rally, the union leaders said that privatisation of Discos was a great injustice with employees because the political leaders and not workers were to blame for the nagging power crisis.

If the influential persons refused to pay their electricity bills it was not the workers` fault, they said, adding that Sepco employees performed their duties diligently and sincerely throughout 24 hours.

They warned if the government did not take back the decision they would continue the protest till their death.

In Badin, Hesco workers took out a rally from Hesco executive engineer`s office to the press club in protest against the privatisation of Discos.

The protesters condemned the privatisation and termed it a conspiracy against the Wapda employees.

They warned that Wapda workers would never accept the government`s decision.

In Sanghar, Hesco employees took out a rally from Hesco office and reached the press club where they held a demonstration.

The union leaders said in their speeches that the privatisation would result in strengthening capitalists and would not benefit common man.