Dr Abdul Wahid Soomro (MNA Pakistan Peoples Party)

KARACHI: After intense deliberations and the government’s intercession, the Karachi Electric Supply Company on Sunday night withdrew the order through which it had sacked 4,500 employees.

The retrenchment had set off furious protests in Karachi, disabling the utility’s network in several areas of the city.
The decision was announced at the Governor’s House by the Federal Minister for Water and Power, Raja Pervez Ashraf, and the MQM’s deputy convener Dr Farooq Sattar while talking to media after several hours of consultations between a three-member committee.
The committee comprised Raza Rabbani, Khurshid Shah and Raja Pervez Ashraf.
Displaying the order signed by the KESC’s chief executive, Tabish Gohar, reversing the sacking of employees, Raja Pervez Ashraf expressed a hope that the workers would now call of their sit-in.
He said that the government holds 26 per cent shares in the company and not only believed in protecting rights of workers but also of the investors.
He lauded the efforts made by the Sindh Governor and Chief Minister besides coalition partners and especially the nine member committee constituted by the provincial government headed by the Sindh minister for Power Shazia Marri, which in fact had done the ground work and provided the basis for the outcome.
Dr Farooq Sattar welcomed the outcome and said the decision has been taken to protect the interest of affected KESC employees and about 20 million people of Karachi who have suffered a lot because of the problem.
Raja Pervez Ashraf and Dr Farooq Sattar parried questions about the fate of FIRs lodged by the KESC management against striking employees.
Earlier in the day, the KESC management informed the government-appointed committee that it was not possible for it to reverse the retrenchment.