ISLAMABAD, Jan 29: Pakistan People’s Party Jiyalas (workers), on Tuesday, went on a rampage when Federal Minister of Water and Power, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, did not show up at the appointed hour to meet them.

At the Ministry of Water and Power’s office, in the Minister’s absence, PPP workers demanded jobs but when the Director to the Minister refused to entertain their demands, informing that the election commission had placed a ban on political appointments, the workers went ballistic, breaking glass, wood, and whatever came their way.

Later the police and the State Minister for Water and Power, Tasneem Quershi, negotiated with the workers and managed to defuse the situation.

However workers have threatened that they would be back in three days, if their demands were not met.

Workers behaving badly

Earlier, over two dozen workers arrived at the Pak Secretariat’s A block, housing the Ministry of Water and Power, on an appointment allegedly given to them by the Federal Minister.

An official of the ministry on condition of anonymity said that the activists yesterday spoke with the minister of water and power Ahmed Mukhtar, when he was in Karachi.

The minister gave them time for the meeting to discuss the issue of jobs but the minister never showed up, even though he was in the city, said the official.

However, at the time the minister was not available and the party workers were asked to talk with a staff officer of the Minister.

Another official of the ministry said that the PPP’s activists spoke with the Director to the minister, Mudassar Mian, on the intercom, who refused to meet them and informed them that the minister would not be in the office.  The Director also refused to oblige them as per their requests for jobs, informing that the election commission had already placed a ban on political appointments.

The reply of the director provoked the PPP workers, who started breaking glass and damaging furniture.

The official further informed that in the ensuing mayhem, the minister of state for water and power, Tasneem Quershi, was approached, who initially refused but later agreed to meet them.

In response three representatives of PPP workers met with the state minister who assured the workers and managed to defuse the crisis.

Workers’ woes

Central Vice President PPP Youth Wing Rawalpindi told Dawn that over 80 activists reached the ministry to register a complaint for not being considered for jobs.

The workers also complained that during the last three years the ministry gave 150 to 200 jobs, to people not affiliated with the party.

Even though a list had been sent to the ministry but none of the workers mentioned on the list were obliged, complained the youth leader.

He said that the minister of state sought three days to look into the matter and if he failed, the activists and office bearers of PPP Youth Wing would again go to the ministry.