Islamabad, June 14 (Reuters): Pakistan Telecommunication Co Ltd (PTCL) said today it had sacked 29 workers for taking part in a strike against the government’s plan to sell a stake and cede control of the firm later this week.

The plan to sell a 26 per cent stake along with management control is expected to fetch over $1.5 billion, making it Pakistan’s biggest privatisation. But the confederation of workers unions said that other state-run firms would face industrial action unless the government dropped the privatisation and stopped arresting PTCL workers.

PTCL’s share price fell around two per cent today to 69.05 rupees in a generally weaker market with investors showing no discernible alarm at the industrial unrest.

Trade union leaders at PTCL said police had detained around 750 workers since the strike was called on Saturday.

PTCL president Junaid Khan said 29 were sacked for trying to stop others working. “They were all involved in illegal activities,” Khan said today. “They were trying to... prevent people from coming to the office.”