PESHAWAR:
At the request of the central leadership of the All Pakistan Hydroelectric Workers Union WAPDA, workers of the three electricity distribution companies in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa organized demonstrations across the province against the proposed privatization of WAPDA, non-recovery of kidnapped PESCO employees in Bannu, delays in recruitment, job insecurity, rising inflation and unemployment.
The main protest was held in front of Peshawar Press Club, led by Provincial President Haji Muhammad Iqbal, Secretary Noorul Amin Haiderzai, Vice President Yasir Kamran, Vice President Shafiullah, Information Secretary Gohar Ali Gohar, TESCO Regional Secretary Liaqat Ali, GSC Zonal President Anwar Mahmood and OSG Zonal President Abdul Jabbar Khan. Hundreds of workers participated in the demonstration, carrying banners and chanting slogans against the government’s privatization policy.
Addressing the protesters, the union leaders said that providing security, free healthcare and educational facilities to citizens and government employees is the responsibility of the state. They criticized the government’s privatization drive and said Karachi Electric Supply Corporation’s (K-Electric) “failed experiment” should serve as a warning.
They warned that the privatization of WAPDA would not only increase unemployment but also lead to further increases 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 Power (Power Division) to review its decision to privatize WAPDA and introduce reforms within the organisation. They demanded the dissolution of the electricity distribution companies (DISCO) and their merger back into WAPDA to strengthen the institution.
The union also demanded the safe recovery of five PESCO employees kidnapped in Bannu on September 12, 2025 and immediate recruitment to fill the vacant posts. Speakers noted that staff shortages have increased the workload of existing employees, leading to inefficiency, increased electricity theft and non-payment by consumers.
