LAHORE: Public Services International (PSI) Regional Secretary for Asia Pacific Kate Lappin has called for protection of basic fundamental rights of the workers by the government and their representation in decision-making national institutes. Addressing a meeting at Bakhtiar Labour Hall on Thursday, she said her organisation had affiliated membership of workers in 154 countries, including Pakistan. The PSI is the global union federation of workers in public services. During the meeting, the workers urged the prime minister to intervene and take steps to stop the fatal accidents of electricity line staff occurring off and on due to staff shortage as no recruitment had been made for the last seven years or so. “While old hands have been retiring and the quantum of work rising day to day, the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents in the field is rising due to a shortage of line staff since the existing workers are under immense workload. Therefore, we want safety of the line staff during the course of performance of their work,” said All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union General Secretary Khurshid Ahmad in the meeting. He added that fundamental rights of the workers guaranteed under the Constitution and ILO Conventions ratified by the Pakistan government should be fully protected and the national industries and companies alike electricity, Sui gas, PIA etc must not be privatised.