ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority`s (CDA) sanitation workers staged a protest demonstration against the expected privatisation of the sanitation directorate.

The protest demonstration was organised by the CDA Mazdoor Union CBA Committee Sanitation Directorate, which was attended by a large number of employees.

Addressing the protesters, Pakistan Workers Federation Secretary General and leader of Mazdoor Union ChaudhryMohammad Yasin and others said due to the tireless work and struggle of the CDA employees, a beautiful city like Islamabad had gained recognition at the international level.

However, they said the proposed privatisation of the sanitation directorate was unacceptable to the employees until and unless their job protection was guaranteed.

Speaking to Dawn, Chaudhry Yasin said there are 1,700 regular sanitation workers.

`We fear if the privatisation is carried out, they will lose their jobs. We want job protection for all existing employ-ees,` he said and added that other than the sanitation directorate the CBA had also concerns about reports of the proposed privatisation of the CDA Hospital and water directorate.

`We are CBA and we should be taken on board.Ifthese proposals of privatisation are in favour of employees and CDA, we will support them. We will not compromise on jobs and rights of employees,` he said.

Mr Yasin appreciated the CDA chairman and his team for launching mega development projects in Islamabad.

`We have no issue with theCDA management. We will support them in all decisions which are in favour of employees and CDA, but before moving forward the union should be taken on board and all correspondence and related documents should be shared to satisfy the employees,` he said.

Last week, CDA postponed opening the bid for outsourcing a project pertaining to Islamabad`s solid waste management.

The Rs25 billion project spanning 10 years was supposed to be opened for bid on April 10, but it was postponed till April 25.Earlier, the same bid was supposed to be opened on March 26.

On December 30, the CDA sought bids from national and international companies for the primary and secondary collection of solid waste and its onward transportation to the landfill fill site in Rawalpindi.

Until recently, there were separate contracts for the city and rural areas. However, both contracts in rural areas expired recently, and now the civic agency wants to have a dedicated company for all of Islamabad.