KESC employees call off strike on governor’s assurance

KARACHI: The employees of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) have called off their ongoing strike after receiving firm assurance of solution to their issue from Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan at a three-hour-long meeting at the Governor House on Thursday.

The governor has given a firm commitment to all labour leaders of KESC for settling the employment issue and even he is ready to visit Dubai to discuss the matter with its owners.

The People’s Workers Union (PWU), Latif Mughal, told Daily Times after the successful negotiations with the governor. The governor urged the KESC workers to call off the ongoing strike for three days period and if the issue is not resolved, then he is ready to join the KESC employees protest after the deadline, Latif informed.

He further informed that the governor was in contact with KESC owners and would definitely use his good office for resolving the issue. Latif said the governor had assured to resolve KESC employees’ problems within three days, so the KESC workers union had decided to suspend sit-in that continued for the past two and a half month.

He said: “The governor has accepted all the right of KESC employees to protest if their problems are not resolved till June 25.” It may be mentioned here that President Asif Ali Zardari had assigned the task to Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan to resolve the employment issue of the KESC employees with its management.

Earlier, KESC CBA Union Chairman Haji Ikhlaq Khan said the decision to suspend the protest would be taken after consulting with KESC workers.

Meanwhile, there was no relief to Karachiites who braved nightlong seesaw power outages across the city as KESC management made a categorical announcement for suspended field operation in the city. Residents of many localities complained about massive power outages during night time and there was no redressal of such faults in several city areas, including Landhi, Malir, Civil Line, Al-Hilal Society, North Nazimabad, Paposhnagar, Liaquatabad and Shah Faisal Colony, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and other areas.

A source said the Sindh governor has made it clear to the KESC management that no compromise of linking the load-shedding with the union protests.

Moreover, the KESC management seemed uncomfortable with the development over the employee’s issue. A KESC’s official said that the meeting at the Governor House appreciated the KESC priorities that the utility is giving importance to its consumers.

The Sindh government assured to provide security to all of its offices, service centres and installation in the city so that the power utility could start its field operations on Friday keeping in views all these assurances from the government officials, the official said, adding that the utility appreciated all concerned officials for listening all issues of KESC management.

The government also assured the KESC management that no one would hamper the operations of the power utility and the senior management would again meet with the government officials in this regard, the KESC official said.

Sindh governor, home minister, PPP leader Taj Haider, Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner Karachi, IGP and DIG, Additional Chief Secretary and Home Secretary also attended the meeting. masroor afzal pasha