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12 January, 2026Workers across Pakistan staged a nationwide protest, on 6 January, against the proposed privatisation of profitable power distribution companies (DISCOs), demanding price controls and improved safety conditions in the power sector.
The protests, organized by the All Pakistan WAPDA Hydro Electric Workers Union -APWHEWU, were held in major cities including Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Sukkur, Hyderabad and Quetta. Thousands of workers gathered under the union’s banner, chanting slogans against the government’s privatization plans and its failure to curb soaring electricity prices.
In Lahore, workers led by APWHEWU demonstrated outside the Press Club, calling on the prime minister and the federal energy minister to engage with workers and address their long-standing concerns. The union criticized the government’s compliance with international monetary fund (IMF)-driven reforms, pointing to failed privatization attempts in Rawalpindi and Multan as evidence that such policies do not serve public interest.
The union argued that expensive electricity purchases from independent power producers (IPPs) have made power unaffordable for ordinary consumers, pushing millions into energy poverty.
Four key demands were raised, including the lifting of the nine-year recruitment ban in the power sector to ease excessive workloads and reduce the risk of on-duty accidents. Calls were also made for improved safety measures, including the provision of proper protective equipment for line staff and the strict enforcement of safety protocols. In addition, there was a demand for an immediate halt to the privatization of power distribution companies in the national and public interest, alongside negotiations with IPPs to renegotiate contracts and bring down electricity tariffs.
Secretary general of APWHEWU, Khurshid Ahmed, said:
“We, the workers and union, reaffirmed its commitment to resisting privatization and campaigning for affordable electricity. The federal government of Pakistan must prioritize national welfare and worker safety over IMF conditions. This is not just about our jobs—it is about the future of public services and the right of ordinary people to affordable electricity.”
The union warned that if their demands are ignored, the protests will intensify in the coming weeks.
Regional secretary of IndustriALL Global Union, Ashutosh Bhattachoraya, said:
“We are in full solidarity with this nationwide protest by energy sector workers and the All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union (APWHEWU). Their collective action sends a clear message—privatization is not the solution to Pakistan’s energy crisis. Workers and unions are demanding safe jobs, fair prices and public accountability. The government must stop pushing IMF-driven policies that burden ordinary people and instead invest in public utilities, worker safety, and affordable electricity for all.”