SAHIWAL (Staff Report) – Three Chinese workers climbed electricity poles on Wednesday in a protest against the Pakistani authorities over nonpayment of their due salaries.
The Chinese, who are working at the Coal Power Plant in Sahiwal district of Punjab, climbed atop a pole at the project yesterday and stayed there for five hours.
The workers’ grouse included non-payment of the salaries for last three months.
While they eventually came down from the pole safely, after assurances from the authorities, the Chinese have demanded an inquiry by the Chief Minister Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif.
They were paid all the pending salaries on Wednesday.
Chinese technicians and engineers are working alongside Pakistani workers at this coal power plant. While the government of Pakistan, especially CM Shahbaz Sharif, wants early completion of the project, it is very necessary that workers get paid in time.
In recent years, many protestors climbed up electricity poles to lodge their protests in different parts of the country.
Two years ago, PML-N workers from Lodhran climbed up the electricity pole to register their protest against distribution of party tickets to turncoats. They also staged sit-in outside the secretariat.
The same year, another man reached atop an electric pole in protest against a property dealer’s alleged fraud.
Dozens of people gathered around the pole and advised him to climb down but he refused.
After successful negotiations with the police, he finally climbed down but was arrested under Section 325 (attempt to commit suicide) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
