Hundreds of Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) workers held protest demonstrations in districts across Pakistan on 13 May 2014 to protest against the suspension of four leaders of the Hydroelectric Union Pakistan.
The president, the general secretary and 2 senior officers of the Muzaffargarh Thermal Power Station Hydroelectric Union were suspended on 12 May 2014 by the power station’s chief executive. Their suspension followed a protest against the planned privatisation of the power station. The protest was held on 12 May to coincide with a visit by the Minister of Water and Power.
The protestors gathered around the minister’s convoy and chanted slogans.
Muzaffargarh Thermal Power Station chief engineer Khalid Alvi was suspended and security chief major (r) Omar Malik sacked. Muzaffargarh Thermal Power Station chief executive Shoaib Rashid was also given a show-cause notice.
Hydroelectric Union members in several districts held demonstrations to protest against the decision to suspend their leaders.
Wapda Hydroelectric Union president Khursheed Khan said, “If the union leaders are not reinstated in the next 24 hours, we will suspend electricity supply to the heavily populated areas of south Punjab.” He said protests will be held in major districts and divisional head offices of power generating companies in the region.
There were as many as 133 security guards on duty when members of the Hydroelectric Union Muzaffargarh unit “breached” security and surrounded the minister’s vehicle.
Abid Sher Ali told The Express Tribune that the Muzaffargarh Thermal Power Station had become a hub of furnace oil and electricity theft. “We will not let the mafia sabotage Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s efforts to end the energy crisis in the country,” he said.