PESHAWAR:
On the call of the central leadership of the All Pakistan WAPDA Hydroelectric Workers Union, workers from all three electricity distribution companies in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa staged province-wide demonstrations against the proposed privatization of WAPDA, non-recovery of abducted PESCO employees from Bannu, recruitment delays, job insecurity, rising inflation, and unemployment.
The main protest was held outside the Peshawar Press Club, led by Provincial Chairman Haji Muhammad Iqbal, Secretary Noorul Amin Haiderzai, Vice Chairman Yasir Kamran, Deputy Chairman Shafiullah, Information Secretary Gohar Ali Gohar, Regional Secretary TESCO Liaqat Ali, GSC Zonal Chairman Anwar Mahmood, and GSO Zonal Chairman Abdul Jabbar Khan. Hundreds of workers participated in the rally, carrying placards and chanting slogans against the government’s privatization policy.
Addressing the protesters, union leaders said that providing safety, free healthcare, and education facilities to citizens and government employees is the state’s responsibility. They criticized the government’s privatization drive, saying the “failed experiment” of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (K-Electric) should serve as a warning.
They warned that WAPDA’s privatization would not only increase unemployment but also lead to further hikes in electricity prices, worsening the economic burden on the poor and negatively impacting the national economy.
The speakers urged the federal government and the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) to review their decision to privatize WAPDA and instead introduce reforms within the organization. They demanded the dissolution of electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) and their merger back into WAPDA to strengthen the institution.
The union also demanded the safe recovery of five PESCO employees abducted from Bannu on September 12, 2025, and immediate recruitment to fill vacant positions. The speakers noted that staff shortages have increased the workload on existing employees, leading to inefficiency, rising electricity theft, and non-payment by consumers.
