QUETTA: Leaders of the All Pakistan WAPDA Hydro Electric Workers Union (CBA) have expressed serious concern over the deteriorating security situation in Mastung, saying armed elements continue to threaten employees and damage public infrastructure.
In a joint statement, central joint president and provincial chairman Muhammad Ramzan Achakzai, provincial secretary Abdul Hai, vice chairman Abdul Baqi Lehri, joint secretary Muhammad Yar Alizai and finance secretary Malik Iftikhar Ahmed said that following the theft of wires from 132KV transmission lines in Mastung, repair work by the QESCO GSO and GSC staff was disrupted when armed individuals allegedly held workers hostage.
They said the assailants also took away two vehicles and a crane belonging to the department, further highlighting the vulnerability of field staff engaged in essential repair work.
The union leaders noted that this was not an isolated incident, claiming that several official vehicles had previously been seized at gunpoint and large quantities of conductors and other materials were regularly stolen from transmission lines, indicating a breakdown of law and order in the area.
They criticised the performance of the QESCO Board of Directors and management, saying their response has largely been limited to replacing stolen material and continuing operations without ensuring staff safety or addressing repeated losses running into billions of rupees.
The statement added that authorities had failed to take effective action against repeated thefts, vehicle seizures and attacks on employees, warning that such negligence was pushing the company towards growing financial losses.
The union urged both federal and provincial governments to take immediate steps to recover losses, ensure action on FIRs already registered, and provide adequate security for field staff before repair and maintenance work is carried out in sensitive areas.
They warned that in the absence of proper security arrangements, workers may be compelled to avoid field duties to protect their lives. The union also cautioned that if the situation persists, it would be forced to take strict action in the interest of employees and the organisation, for which the authorities concerned would be held responsible.
