HYDERABAD: All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union (CBA) Chairman Abdul Latif Nizamani has claimed that the federal government has cancelled the agreements with five independent power producers (IPPs) due to union’s struggle and steps are being taken by the government to end pacts with 35 other ones.

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Addressing an emergency meeting of the union office-bearers on Monday at the Labour Hall, he said that in fact the government had closed public sector powerhouses instead of upgrading them with the result that electricity had become expensive and went beyond consumers’ reach. He said the IPPs were claiming capacity charges without selling electricity and 60pc of the total payment was made in foreign exchange.

He said that not only institutions were destroyed, but the employees of companies faced excesses. He said consumers were paying more for electricity generation and added that problems of employees were not being resolved.

He said the union would observe a countrywide ‘Youm-i-Mutalbat’ on Nov 13.

Mr Nizamani added that the employees of Jamshoro powerhouses were being retrenched and transferred illegally and their allowances were withheld. He said the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) was being divided into three parts, which could potentially undermine Pakistan’s integrity.

He said the privatisation plan was being pursued although those national enterprises were foundations of the country. He said that jobs were being given through contractual system while employees’ children were waiting for appointment for the last 11 years.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2024