Latest News

Traders give strike call for August 28

The statement comes as traders were scheduled to meet the Federal Board of Revenue chairman today to discuss the SRO.

Traders nationwide have given a strike call for August 28, Wednesday over new taxes and exorbitant bills.

“Traders across the country would strike over new taxes and exorbitant bills on Wednesday (tomorrow) at all costs”, the traders’ body head has said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

“The government is spreading false propaganda through certain elements,” Lahore Traders Association President Mujahid Maqsood Butt said in a video statement.

He clarified that the government has not accepted their demands, saying that reports related to approval were rumours.

“There will be a complete shutter-down strike tomorrow, traders should not pay attention to the rumours,” Butt said, adding that the “anti-trader people” were spreading rumours about the strike.

“We don’t have the desire for a strike,” he said and demanded the prime minister announce the cancellation of the Tajir Dost Scheme.

Earlier on Monday, Haroonur Rasheed, central president of one of the two major traders’ bodies of Mansehra, told a presser, “The country is already witnessing historic inflation, and the government has further vitiated the fragile socioeconomic conditions by imposing more taxes,”

Flanked by other members of the association, he said that their central leadership had taken up the issue of taxes with the federal government, urging it to withdraw them, but to no avail.

“Traders are already paying different taxes, and the imposition of new levies would further push them against the wall,” Mr Rasheed said.

On the other hand, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced his support for the nationwide strike planned by traders on August 28.

In his statement, Maulana Fazlur Rehman expressed full backing for the strike and criticised inflation and unjust taxes for worsening the public’s living conditions.

Maulana accused the IMF-directed budget of depriving people of their livelihoods.

He also instructed JUI workers to support the peaceful strike and directed the party’s business forums across the country to actively participate in the protest.

Saman Siddiqui

I am a freelance journalist with a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication and an MS in Peace and Conflict Studies. Since 2006, I have been involved in various capacities within the electronic media industry. At OyeYeah, I cover diverse genres ranging from journalism and fiction to fashion, including reviews and fact-finding reports.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button